This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Mark writes:
My past with the automotive aftermarket leads me to think I never was a true salesman. I seem to service accounts more than sell them. Could I say I was a customer relations or account manager? I sold maybe 20 percent of the time and did stock adjustment, new part numbers. and buying lunch.
You have to remember that above all else, a resume is a marketing tool. A resume’s purpose is to interest the potential employer just enough to grant you an interview and help you along to the next step in the job-hunting journey.
So, my answer is yes, of course you can define your accomplishments — and your transferable skills — as you see fit. From your brief description, I would have to totally agree. And believe me when I tell you I have seen some pretty long stretches when I have reviewed resumes.
The key for you is determining if servicing accounts or account management is important. If it is, then you should certainly emphasize all the experience you have in this area.
You can read much more about resumes and find some great resources by going to Quintessential Careers: Resume Resources.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD: Nancy writes:
Hi, I have a question on present vs. past tense of strong verbs used for listing skills on your resume. I always thought you used present tense for resumes, but a career -development teacher checked my resume and said to use past tense. Just wondering what you thought or know employers prefer or what is the correct tense. Example:
- supervised…
- coordinated….
Strong verbs, or action verbs, are a vital part of a good resume. For your current position, the verbs should be present tense (negotiate, resolve, conduct, provide, etc.). For all your past positions, the verbs should be past-tense (monitored, researched, collected, etc.). Another key issue besides action verbs is that you should list achievements or outcomes of your positions, rather than simply duties. You “achieved a $100,000 increase in sales” rather than “managed client relations and sales.”
For a pretty complete list of action verbs, visit Quintessential Careers: Action Verbs.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Ashley writes:
Dr. Hansen, I have gotten several different opinions on my resume, with some saying it’s good, and others saying I should have a functional resume. I have been to my college’s career services and other professors. So I am not really sure which is best for me. Should a new college grad have a functional resume? Should my resume be limited to one page? Please let me know what you think.
The Career Doctor responds:
Several things jump at me when I look at your resume. All job-seekers should remember that a resume is a strategic marketing document that must have two key elements: design and content.
First, let’s discuss design. Every design aspect must be consistent on your resume — same style of headings, same margins… a coherent and appealing look. One of my pet peeves deals with margins… I hate unusually narrow margins. There’s a rule of “thumb” with resumes — margins must be big enough for my (big) thumbs to hold on to it and not cover any content.
Resumes must also be designed with some flair, and job-seekers often accomplish this style through varying typography, font size, and font selection. Your name and major headings should be larger, perhaps in a different font. And be sure to include as much contact information as possible.
Second, let’s talk content. I would recommend you — and all job-seekers — use one of the “hotter” elements in resume writing — the “Qualifications Summary,” also sometimes referred to as “Professional Profile.” This section is what I like to refer to as the executive summary of your resume — it may change depending on what type of job you are seeking — but it should be the key 3-5 accomplishments that make you better than anyone else for the job you are seeking.
And as you write about your experience, remember to focus on accomplishments, keywords, and action verbs. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments.
As for resume length, the current rule is a resume is as long as it needs to be based on your experience, and college grads with lots of experience can have two-page resumes.
Get more information on resumes and resume-writing in this section of Quintessential Careers: Resume and CV Resources for Job-Seekers.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Elaine writes:
I am seeking help with my cover letter. I have a basic resume, but would like to improve it. I need help. I currently quit my eight-year-long job and went to work in an environment I am very unhappy in.
You are right to want to try and make your cover letter and resume as strong as possible. Your resume, especially, should be polished regularly.
Let’s start with your cover letter. Your cover letter is a marketing document — in which you are trying to spark the interest of the potential employer. I am amazed at how many cover letter “experts” advise people to waste their first paragraphs — which are the most important part of your cover letter. In this first paragraph, you need to attract the interest of the potential employer, not simply state that you are applying for a job.
You can read more about the Dynamic Cover Letters Cover Letter Formula or visit the Quintessential Careers Cover Letter Tutorial.
Now to your resume. Resumes have not changed all that much over the last few years, with the exception of text-based resumes and the move toward using keywords or skills summaries in resumes. You should make sure your resume includes strong action verbs to describe your accomplishments (not your duties). You may also want to read up on transferable skills. All this resume information can be found at Quintessential Careers: Resume Resources.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:
Nancy writes:
Hi, I have a question on present vs. past tense of strong verbs used for listing skills on your resume. I always thought you used present tense for resumes, but a career -development teacher checked my resume and said to use past tense. Just wondering what you thought or know employers prefer or what is the correct tense. Example:
- supervised…
- coordinated….
Strong verbs, or action verbs as I call them, are a vital part of a good resume. For your current position, the verbs should be present tense (negotiate, resolve, conduct, provide, etc.). For all your past positions, the verbs should be past-tense (monitored, researched, collected, etc.). Another key issue besides action verbs is that you should list achievements or outcomes of your positions, rather than simply duties. You “achieved a $100,000 increase in sales” rather than “managed client relations and sales.”
For a pretty complete list of action verbs, visit Quintessential Careers: Action Verbs.
Need help with your resume, cover letter, or other career-marketing document? Order today from Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters, powered by About Jobs Resume Writing Service.
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