In the Resume Deep Dive Parts One and Two, I provided tips for contact information and highlights of qualifications. In Part two, I explained that the average hiring manager spends six seconds looking at your resume. Every word counts. In those six seconds the hiring manager will probably see the top 1/3 of the page, therefore it is the most important part of your resume. In Part Three of the Resume Deep Dive, I will discuss the work experience, headings and format of the resume body.
Start by identifying relevant work experience. After reading the job description, decide which of your work experiences are most relevant to the specific job for which you are applying. If possible, eliminate work experience that does not showcase skills that match the job description. Ideally, you will list paid and unpaid work experience that goes back no more than 10 years.
Customize headings to match your targeted job. Instead of simply using a heading that says, “Work Experience”, let the hiring manager know that the body will showcase relevant work experience. Depending on the job you are applying for, your heading should say “Customer Service Work Experience”, “Brand Manager Work Experience”, “Administrative Assistant Work Experience” or “Project Manager Work Experience”.
Highlight job titles. When listing each job, include the job title, company or organization name, city, state and years worked. Do not include months worked. If you worked at the organization for less than one year, simply list the year. In the example above, the job title is the only part of the work experience that is in bold. The emphasis is on what you did rather than where you worked.
Use freelance work to cover employment gaps. When choosing relevant work experience to put on your resume, you might end up with gaps in employment. If you have done freelance work for many years, you could list it under a separate heading. It is ok if the freelance work is not as relevant to the job for which you are applying. Including freelance work at the bottom of the page gives it less emphasis, while indicating that you have been working throughout the past 10 years. In the example above, the person worked for various employers in various cities in Los Angeles County. Instead of listing a single employer, they indicated that the work was freelance.
Congratulations on reading Resume Deep Dive Parts 1-3! You are now ready to tackle the most difficult part of writing a targeted resume. In Part Four of the Resume Deep Dive, I will discuss writing bullet points. I view this part of resume writing as a game. The object of the game is to get as many phrases from the job description onto your resume as possible, without lying. If you are ready to apply for jobs and need help telling your unique career story in a resume, cover letter or interview, schedule a free consultation with me.
Mindful Career Guide 