You may not have had reason to update your resume in quite some time. If you suddenly find yourself in the job market, your same old style of resume likely won't get you the attention you deserve nowadays. Today's resumes are trending toward a fresher, more progressive tone. Since studies show that you only have less than 30 seconds for your resume to communicate its message, it is important that you make sure your resume is to the point. Use monetary gains and savings to accentuate the positive, and play down age.
Selling yourself to a business is what it is all about and in today's market, employers relate to value proposition. That's a term that job seekers would be wise to incorporate into their resume to help sell themselves. It relates directly to tangible results the employer can expect from you, whether from cost cutting measures, or sales promotions you've led, bosses today want to see more money on their bottom line.
Another change is the now common resume summary statement, which replaces the old fashioned one-line objective statement. The newer style takes a more direct approach to the employer, expressing how you can use your goals and values to increase their bottom line and make their company better.
Play up your experience and down play your age. You don't want your old style resume to present you as too old for the job. Older applicants sometimes aren't given fair opportunities, though probably not often on purpose. If the boss is 20 years younger than you, then he may shy away from hiring someone who he considers old. Despite age discrimination laws, this still does go on and you can't afford to draw unwanted attention to your age if you are older.
Streamline your work history and don't include all of it. Just include the most recent several years rather than the last 25. Watch your wording and be sure to use positive terms like "progressive" and "results-orient". Employers are looking for people who have current technical skills pertinent to the job. If there's a particular class or training you know may be important to landing a job, then you should go and take it. This will go a long way toward letting the employer that you are a forward thinking go getter, and you'll be much more likely to land an interview.
Selling yourself to a business is what it is all about and in today's market, employers relate to value proposition. That's a term that job seekers would be wise to incorporate into their resume to help sell themselves. It relates directly to tangible results the employer can expect from you, whether from cost cutting measures, or sales promotions you've led, bosses today want to see more money on their bottom line.
Another change is the now common resume summary statement, which replaces the old fashioned one-line objective statement. The newer style takes a more direct approach to the employer, expressing how you can use your goals and values to increase their bottom line and make their company better.
Play up your experience and down play your age. You don't want your old style resume to present you as too old for the job. Older applicants sometimes aren't given fair opportunities, though probably not often on purpose. If the boss is 20 years younger than you, then he may shy away from hiring someone who he considers old. Despite age discrimination laws, this still does go on and you can't afford to draw unwanted attention to your age if you are older.
Streamline your work history and don't include all of it. Just include the most recent several years rather than the last 25. Watch your wording and be sure to use positive terms like "progressive" and "results-orient". Employers are looking for people who have current technical skills pertinent to the job. If there's a particular class or training you know may be important to landing a job, then you should go and take it. This will go a long way toward letting the employer that you are a forward thinking go getter, and you'll be much more likely to land an interview.
About the Author:
Craig Calvin is a noted authority on the value of Six Sigma in the workplace. If you are looking for Six Sigma training, you should visit www.sixsigmaonline.org to help you navigate through your questions. They're the premier provider of Six Sigma certification.
