The Perfect Resume

The perfect resume presents hiring managers with a four-fold vision of who you are and what you bring to the table:

The perfect resume offers Logical Proofs:

Facts
Quantifiable data
Logical conclusions
Achievement and success statements
Relevant professional goals/accomplishments
Limits the use of jargon
Maximizes use of occupation/industry-specific key words
Your capabilities and skills
Clear, specific, measurable, and quantifiable words and phrases
Sells you based on your achievements to date

The perfect resume offers Your Vision & Creativity:

Balanced white space
Visually easy to read
A resume style and paper consistent with your self-marketing vision
Clear big picture of who you are
Sells you based on your potential
Examples of your creativity relating to your targeted position
Your vision of your role and your capacity to contribute

The perfect resume offers Sensible Organization:

Easy-to-follow resume structure
Presents relevant historical information in reverse chronological order
Places the most relevant/marketable data early in the resume
Omits what cannot be proved
Is error-free
Is neatly laid-out and word processed
Stretches to the appropriate length for someone of your experience (one page for up to 10 years of experience; 2 pages for up to 15 years of experience, and 3 pages for senior-level positions demanding over 15 years of experience)
Sells your past

The perfect resume offers Your Personality and Values:

Stresses your interpersonal/written communication skills
Describes your teamwork skills and cites examples of your cross-functionality
Highlights your work-related values
Showcases your work-related personality
Previews who you are
Emphasizes your uniqueness
Is enjoyable to read
Sells who you are

Why not review your resume by comparing it with these four critical categories? You may discover why your resume isn't winning you the interview response you'd hoped for with hiring managers.

Cheryl Lynch Simpson is a Spiritual Director and Solutions Coach who helps women discover and create the life they've always wanted to live. Cheryl is the author of over 30 print/Internet articles and the founder of Coaching Solutions For Women, a coaching website that produces and showcases career, business, and life solutions that improve the life balance of today's busy women. For a complimentary copy of her latest e-book, Ten-Minute Stress Zappers for Women Service Business Owners, visit http://www.coachingsolutionsforwomen.com.

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