How to write a winning and marketable resume

"Your resume is the first point of contact with a prospective employer; so make sure it gives a good first impression"

Do you know that a typical executive job advertisement in Saturday's The Straits Times Recruit page can easily attract an average of 100+ job applications? How would you like to stand out among the crowd and be selected for the interview?

As a HR professional and certified resume writer, I have had the opportunity to vet thousands of resumes and sat in several recruitment interviews. What became obvious was that those outstanding resumes usually get the attention of the HR Manager faster and therefore put them ahead of the rest in terms of getting an interview and of course, the job offer.

But what makes a resume outstanding?

Basically, it answers the following questions, which most resumes do not:

• "Why should we hire you?"
• "What can you value add to our organisation?"
• "How can you best contribute to our company?"

Here are some additional tips which you may wish to consider before you submit another resume:

1. Start your resume with a summary of qualifications, which consist of three to five statements of your career experience. Unless you are a fresh graduate or intend to switch career, it is not appropriate to start your resume with an objective. I have observed that many executives, including senior management tend to overlook this, and miss out on the opportunity to highlight their best attributes right upfront, for example, " 15+ years of product marketing experience".
2. List your professional strengths next. Don't just give general statements but use keywords or buzzwords that companies and recruiters need to see, for example, "Marketing management", "Cost controls", and "Product training".
3. Highlight your achievements. Be clear and specific about what you have accomplished under different job positions or titles. Don't just state your job duties and responsibilities but go a step further to show the impact or results of what you have accomplished for the organization. Wherever possible, quantify your achievements, for instance, "increased sales turnover 80 percent through new product launch and innovative pricing strategies".
4. Having written your job responsibilities and achievements, you should then present your educational qualifications and training. The most common practice is to state the degree earned, name of university and year of graduation. Be true to what you say. For example, if you complete a three-year course but did not graduate, do not say that you have gotten the qualification.
5. Put some effort to make sure the overall layout or presentation of your resume gives a good visual appeal. Format your resume well. Choose the correct font size and layout to avoid too much white space. Also avoid cramming too much on one page. The overall effect should be that your resume projects a touch of class and professionalism.

Do remember that your resume ought to be a "marketing masterpiece" and not just a mere collection of past histories. Your resume is the first point of contact that determines if you should be granted an interview. It is therefore important to put your best effort in creating a good first impression.

For a free resume critique, please email your resume to [email protected]. Confidentiality guaranteed and absolutely no obligation.

by Steven Ho