LAPD Cadets

Let’s begin by considering the real purpose of a resume.  Why do you need one in the first place?  What’s it supposed to do?  A resume is a tool designed for one purpose and one purpose only – to secure you an interview.  In reality, it’s an advertisement featuring you and tells your story and announces to the prospective employer, “Hey, if you buy this product (me), you and the company will benefit.”

Your personal work history is also one that should be fascinating and compels the employer to review it.  It has to be prepared in such a way that encourages the prospective employer to pick up the phone (or write you an email) and ask you to come in for an interview.

Resumes and applications give employers written proof of your unique background, credentials and interests.  They also represent a powerful marketing tool you can use throughout your entire working career.  The goal of these documents is to prove – as clearly and directly as possible, how your experience matches the job’s requirements.  You should do this by highlighting the accomplishments, education and skills that most closely fit the job you want.  Simply stated, you need a resume that makes you stand out as a superior candidate for the job.

Remember – An effective resume gets you an interview, NOT the job.

If your resume has a typographical or grammatical error, it will probably be very noticeable to an employer – and provide an immediate means to weed you out as a viable candidate. Your resume may be the only chance you get to make an impression, so make it a good one…!  Don’t forget the old adage that, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” 

Your resume should seldom be longer than a page.  You also want to make it easy to read.  Use bold and italic words (sparingly) to focus the recruiter’s attention on important information.  When finalizing your resume, make sure there is plenty of white space.  Keep in mind that employers often receive dozens of applications for a single job.  As a result, your resume only has about 15 seconds to make an impression – so don’t lose the reader with a lot of distracting information or unnecessary words.

Still another tip is using the job advertisement itself to help you “tailor” your resume.  Using the qualifications cited in the employment announcement is a great way to enhance your chances of getting a “look.”  And whatever you do, avoid sending the same resume to every employer. 

Resumes and application forms both include the same information.  As a first step, gather the following facts: 

• Contact information, including your name, mailing address, e-mail address (one that you check often), and telephone number.  You want to make sure this information is accurate;
• Type of work or specific job you are seeking or a qualifications summary, which describes your best attributes and experience in just a few lines;
• Education, including school name and its city and state, months and years of attendance, highest grade completed or diploma or degree awarded and major subject or subjects studied.  Also consider listing courses and awards that might be relevant to the position.  Include a grade point average or academic honors (such as “summa cum laude”) if you think it would assist in getting you the job;
• Experience, paid and volunteer.  For each job, include the job title, name and address of your employer and dates of employment.  Briefly describe your job duties and major accomplishments.  In a resume, use phrases instead of sentences to describe your work.  Write, for example, “Tutored 10 students” instead of writing “I supervised 10 children”;
• Special skills. You might list computer expertise, proficiency in foreign languages, achievements or membership in organizations in a separate section;
• References.  Be prepared to provide references if requested.  Good references could be former employers, coworkers, pastors, teachers or anyone else who can describe your abilities and job-related traits.  Understand that you will likely be asked to provide contact information for the people you choose.

Throughout the application or resume, focus on accomplishments that relate most closely to the job you want.  You can even use the job announcement as a guide, using some of the same words and phrases to describe your work and education.  Look for concrete examples that show your skills.  For instance, when describing your work experience, you might say that you increased sales by 10 percent, finished a task in half the usual time or received three letters of appreciation from customers. 

After gathering the information you want to present, the next step is to put it in the proper format.  In an application form, the format is set.  Just fill in the blanks.  But make sure you fill it out completely and follow all instructions.  Do not omit any requested information.  Consider making a copy of the form before filling it out in case you make a mistake and have to start over.  If possible, have someone else review the form before submitting it.

In a resume, there are several acceptable ways of organizing the information you want to include.  It is common to place the most important information first.  One format is to list the applicant’s past jobs in reverse chronological order, describing the most recent employment first and working backward.  But some applicants use a functional format, organizing their work experience under headings that describe their major skills.  They then include a brief work history section that lists only job titles, employers and dates of employment.  Still, other applicants choose a format that combines these two approaches in some way.  Choose the style that best showcases your skills and experience. 

Examples of resume formats can be found on the Web sites of career centers, job boards, and state employment services.  Whatever format you choose, keep your resume brief.  Avoid long blocks of text and italicized material.  Consider using bullets to highlight duties or key accomplishments.

Before submitting your resume, make sure that it’s easy to read. Are the headings clear and consistently formatted with bold or some other style of type?  Is the type face large enough?  Much like application forms, it’s useful to ask another person to proofread your resume for spelling and other errors. In addition, use your computer’s spell checker – but don’t totally rely on it. 

Keep in mind too that some employers scan resumes into databases, which they then search for specific keywords or phrases.  The keywords are usually nouns referring to experience, education, personal characteristics or industry “buzz” words.  Identify keywords by reading the job description and qualifications in the job ad; use these same words in your resume.

For example, if the job description includes customer service tasks, use the words “customer service” on your resume.  Scanning software sometimes misread paper resumes, which could mean some of your keywords don’t get into the database.  So, if you know that your resume will be scanned, and you have the option, e-mail an electronic version.  If you must submit a paper resume, make it scannable by using a simple font and avoiding underlines, italics and graphics.  It’s is also a good idea to send a traditionally formatted resume along with your scannable resume with a note on each marking its purpose. 

When sending a resume, most people include a cover letter to introduce themselves to the prospective employer.  Most cover letters are no more than three short paragraphs.  Your cover letter should capture the employer’s attention, follow a business letter format, and usually should include the following information:

• Name and address of the specific person to whom the letter is addressed;
• Reason for your interest in the company or position;
• Your main qualifications for the position;
• Request for an interview;
• Your home and work telephone numbers and also your email address;

If you really want to impress a potential employer, you may consider including in the cover letter an interesting fact about the firm that demonstrates that you’ve done your homework.  Now THAT will get attention….! 

If you send a scannable resume, you should also include a scannable cover letter, which avoids graphics, fancy fonts, italics and underlines.  As with your resume, it may be helpful to look for examples and common formats of cover letters on the Internet or in books at your local library or bookstore, but do not copy letters directly from other sources. 

Finally, consider printing your resume and cover letter on bond paper.  Although it’s a tad more expensive, it projects a “rich” corporate statement and also imparts a certain image that makes your presentation different from others.  Also, avoid including fancy or whimsical pictures or patterns on the paper as background.  Doing so may take away from the professional message you’re trying to convey.

Regardless of the paper stock you use, it’s best to mail your resume flat instead of folded.  Like the paper itself, it costs a bit more to mail, but the impression it makes sets you apart as a potential candidate.

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• Do the research and learn as much about the organization you can;
• Have a specific job or jobs in mind and be prepared to discuss your ability to perform its essential functions;
• Review your qualifications for the job;
• Be ready to briefly describe your experience, showing how it relates it the job;
• Be ready to answer broad questions, such as “Why should I hire you?” “Why do you want this job?” “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”;
• Practice an interview with a friend or relative.  Although they can be your harshest critics, they can also help you the most.
• Know your resume inside out.  There’s nothing worse than having to refer to it during the discussion.

• Be well groomed.  Wearing your hair in an appropriate business style will go a long way;
• Dress appropriately.  The appropriate business attire can send a powerful message about your attitude and willingness to work;
• Do not chew gum or smoke.  Doing so in an interview can range from being just plain rude or demonstrate that you lack the social graces necessary for you to do well in the workplace

• Being 10-15 minutes early provides you an opportunity to get a “feel” for the environment where the interview will take place.  However, being TOO early can be a negative, especially if your presence prevents workers from going about their daily tasks;
• Use good manners with everyone you meet.  Remember, the person who you meet in passing in the waiting room may be the CEO of the company;
• Learn the name of your interviewer and greet him or her with a firm – but not a crushing, handshake;
• Wait to be seated until you’re offered one.  It’s a small thing but demonstrates your manners and professionalism;
• To the extent that you can, try and relax.  Also, listen closely to the question and answer each of them concisely.  Don’t ramble or give a speech.
• If you don’t understand a question, ask the interviewer to repeat it.  But it’s probably not in your best interest to have EVERY question repeated!
• Use proper English and avoid slang.  Regardless of the environment, using slang during an interview can be the ultimate turnoff;
• Be honest about your availability.  If you can’t work weekends or nights, say so.
• Be cooperative and enthusiastic.  There’s nothing worse than an applicant who appears disinterested.  Show me one who is and I’ll show you one who will likely not get hired;
• Use body language to show interest.  Also, use good eye contact and don’t slouch;
• Don’t be hesitant to ask questions about the position and the organization.  Remember though that YOU are the interviewee and not the other way around;
• Also avoid asking questions about salary and benefits unless a job offer is made;
• Thank the interviewer when you leave and shake hands. 

You might also think about bring the following items to the interview.  Your presentation might be SO stellar that they could offer you the job on the spot ….!

• Social Security card
• Driver’s license
• Resume or application.  Although not all employers require a resume, you should be able to furnish the interviewer information about your education, training, and previous employment
• References.  Employers typically require three references. Get permission before using anyone as a reference.  Make sure that they will give you a good reference
• School transcripts.  Employers may require an official copy of transcripts to verify grades, coursework, dates of attendance, and highest grade completed or degree awarded. 

According to a recent survey, less than 20% of applicants write a “thank you” note after an interview.  Of the recruiters that were surveyed, 94% said that a thank you letter would increase the applicant’s chances of getting the job or at least help him/her stay in the running, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.  Fifteen minutes of your time and a first class postage stamp are very inexpensive investments in your career!

First, don’t forget to ask for the business card of the person who interviewed you.  Spelling his/her name correctly and their correct company title are important.  Next, send that person an email as soon as you get home so the message is the first thing the interviewer reads the next morning.  And finally, send a thank you letter to the interviewer via “snail mail” for his or her time and reiterate some of the important things you learned and discussed about the company during the interview.  Add some key qualifications that you may have forgot to mention in the interview or emphasize some of the more important things you discussed.

If the interviewer shared some information that gave you an insight into the company and its culture, mention how much you appreciated it.

A thank you letter should be short – three paragraphs at most.  Don’t try for the hard sell.  You had your chance in the interview.  The thank you letter just reinforces what you’ve already said and, of course, helps you stand out from the other applicants.

<i>Source: “Job Interview Tips, U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov/oco/oco20045.htm); also “How to Follow-Up After an Interview” (www.jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/a/intfollowup.htm).</i>