Creating a Winning Resume

A resume can make or break your employment future success. Simply put, your resume is a marketing tool that advertises your skills and abilities to a potential employer. It can either open or close the door to success.

“Why didn't I get an interview? I'm qualified...”

A winning resume does not just list your past work experiences and duties. It also convinces the reader that you have the identified skills and abilities to meet or exceed the employer's expectations. So, your resume must be written to arouse interest and encourage the employer to contact you for an interview.

What you may not realize is that a resume is scanned for only a few seconds while the employer searches for those key qualities and accomplishments. Therefore, it is imperative that your resume capture the reader and ignite an immediate interest, or else get lost in the shuffle.

Resume Writing Tips

You have toiled over every intricate detail of your past work experiences and duties, you have drafted and re-drafted your document, and now you are ready to assemble. Follow the tips below to create a winning resume and avoid being passed over.

1. Carefully review the Job Posting/Description

Don't send the same “generic” resume to different job opportunities. Doing this means ignoring the employer's specific needs and requirements.

Keeping in mind that your objective is to secure an interview, you must highlight the appropriate skills and experience you have that pertain to the job offered. In the event that there is no job description, try to research core competencies for similar jobs.

You must prepare several resumes tailored to the positions for which you are applying. A resume is not a “one size fits all.”

2. Maintain Focus – Chronological or Functional Format

Ensure that you know what the employer is looking for and what you can offer. Once you have established these criteria, then decide whether you need a Chronological or a Functional resume.

Chronological Resume - Coordinates your past work experiences, placing emphasis on experiences that apply directly to the specific position. Your work experiences are ordered from most to lest recent.

Functional Resume – A functional resume is ideal when you have little or no experience in a particular field, but you believe that you have the skills and talent to do it anyway. Instead of highlighting your work experiences, you portray your skills and abilities in skill categories.

3. Focus on Your Accomplishments

Focusing on your accomplishments will set you apart from other applicants. Highlight the value and successes you have brought to your past employers. Spot-lighting your successes will show a potential employer how you out-performed your peers during difficult conditions.

4. Use Descriptive & Key Words

Descriptive Words - When describing your past work experiences and accomplishments, start your phrases in the past tense, listing them in bulleted format. This will make your statements dramatic and descriptive. Example descriptive words: achieved, decreased, planned, produced, restructured, transformed, initiated, supervised, managed.

Key Words - Showcase your competence in a particular field by using keywords that highlight your competencies and expertise. Example key words: Teacher: Classroom management, curriculum design and implementation; Principal: Educational program evaluation, IEPs, enrollment process.

5. Proofread & Review Your Resume

Ensure that your resume is error-free. If a potential employer finds typos and errors in grammar, your resume will quickly be tossed into the “No” pile.

Read and re-read your resume. Have someone else review it too--it is very difficult to identify your own errors. A friend's review of your resume will help you discover unclear and confusing areas and may provide you with more information that you may have forgotten. It will never hurt to have an extra set of eyes proof your document.

You can review samples of our work by clicking here.

For further help with your resume, contact A+ Resumes for Teachers.

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