07 Jan Develop the initial draft

Write the Resume

Write the Resume

The resume represents the cornerstone of the job search and can become a birth certificate or death certificate to a professional career, either kindling or killing chances for opportunities. In later stages of the hiring process when the employer is deciding whom to choose and what to pay a given employee, the resume wields little influence, but credit a strong résumé for getting the initial interview and shaping the performance that results in an offer. It’s the torch that lights the employer’s fire and lights the way of the job-hunting campaign. It can also be the ballast that keeps the campaign stuck in the mud.

You clearly want a resume that energizes your job search – one that creates impact and delivers results, not wilts in the heat of the fierce competition of today’s dynamic job market. Conducted properly, you want to emerge from the resume development process with a sense of career and market direction, not just a well-written profile. The diagnostic tools described in Creating Career Road Map, Describing Your Achievements and Peeling Back the Onion are designed to help you strategically build a resume and not fall into the trap of jumping into the fray without the proper basics.

Consider the resume your calling card. Develop it effectively and employers will call.

The best resume model follows an organic, holistic process consistent with sales and marketing principles. Socrates said it best: “Know thyself.” Aristotle later added the legendary kicker, “Know your audience.” Together, the two classic thinkers formulated resume-writing doctrine that underlies the process to this very day.

So, the primal task before collecting and assimilating information and putting word to print is first deciding how you want to be perceived by employers.

We’ve established that the resume functions as an ad in the job-hunting equation. Hence, understanding how advertisers construct their materials can be helpful to developing a resume that clearly communicates and persuades. When advertising agencies are contracted to craft a display ad or commercial, their first consideration is “What message do we want to convey?” Firms promoting Starbucks, Walmart, and McDonalds undertake every campaign by first reflecting on the message to be communicated. Delivering a consistent message creates a brand image and acknowledged presence in the marketplace. This is why Starbucks, Walmart, and McDonald’s are household commodities in their respective industries.

Successful public speakers apply the same rule – preparation begins by determining “What do I want to say?”

Develop the initial draft of your resume. Refer to the sample resumesPreview the documentView in a new window provided. Your final resume is not due until Module 8. This draft resume will provide you with an opportunity to receive feedback on your resume and also assist you in writing your Job Application Letter in Module 7.

Submit a document containing your draft resume, achievements inventory, and Skills/Strength activity as an attachment in this activity. Include your surname, module number, and title of the assignment in the document name (e.g., surname_M6_ResumeDraft).