| Your resume (CV in British English) has one mission | | | | General statements are easy to ignore. Be specific |
| and one mission only: to get you a job interview. Your | | | | and use numbers when describing your duties and |
| resume is usually the first impression an employer has | | | | achievements. |
| of you. And as 'you never get a second chance to | | | | Don't talk about 'managing a major turnover'. Talk |
| make a first impression', you'd better get it right first | | | | about 'managing a $27,000,000 turnover'. Don't talk |
| time. | | | | about 'extensive teaching experience'. Talk about |
| Tip 1: Use design that demands attention | | | | '7,000 teaching hours'. Better still, talk about '7,300 |
| Employers don't have time to read through each of | | | | teaching hours' - the more precise a figure, the more |
| your job descriptions to know if you have the skills | | | | real it becomes. |
| they need. The design of your resume must do it for | | | | Tip 4: Put important information first |
| them. Your resume should be concise, well-organised | | | | List important information at the beginning of your job |
| and relevant. It should emphasise the most important | | | | descriptions. Put statements in your resume in order of |
| and relevant points about your experience, skills and | | | | importance, impressiveness and relevance to the job |
| education. | | | | you want. A powerful statement with numbers and |
| Tip 2: Use 'power words' | | | | power words influences every statement that follows. |
| To control the image that an employer has of you, use | | | | Tip 5: Sell benefits, not skills |
| power words that match the position you want. | | | | Holiday companies don't sell holidays. They sell |
| Certain words are used frequently by recruiters in their | | | | relaxation, adventure, sun, sea and sand (the benefits |
| job descriptions. You should study recruiters' | | | | of a holiday). You should not sell your skills (many other |
| advertisements and job descriptions and use these | | | | people have the same skills). You should sell the |
| words in your resume and covering letter. | | | | benefits of your skills. When you write your skills and |
| The most powerful words are verbs. And the most | | | | past duties, be careful to explain their benefits to the |
| powerful verbs are action verbs (describing dynamic | | | | employer. |
| activity, as opposed to state). | | | | Tip 6: Solve your employer's (hidden) needs |
| If, for example, you are applying for a management | | | | Employers want people who can solve problems, not |
| post, you should use as many management skills | | | | create them! Your resume and cover letter should |
| power words as possible - and use them in the active | | | | show how you can solve the employer's problems |
| form, not passive. | | | | and needs. And in addition to the skills or needs shown |
| Here are some teaching skills power words: | | | | in a job advertisement, an employer may have other |
| * advise | | | | needs. You should identify these additional needs and |
| * clarify | | | | show how you can satisfy them too. But concentrate |
| * coach | | | | first on the needs listed in the job advertisement. Your |
| * elicit | | | | additional solutions should come later, after you already |
| * enable | | | | have the employer's attention. |
| * encourage | | | | Tip 7: Target the job |
| * explain | | | | You will have more success if you adjust your resume |
| * facilitate | | | | and cover letter for the specific skills an employer is |
| * guide | | | | seeking. This means that you would write one resume |
| * inform | | | | for one particular job and a different, modified, resume |
| * instruct | | | | for another job. You 're-package' yourself. In that way, |
| * persuade | | | | an employer will see immediately that you correspond |
| * stimulate | | | | to the job description. It is not dishonest to 're-package' |
| * train | | | | yourself. You are simply presenting yourself and your |
| Tip 3: A number is worth 1,000 words | | | | skills in the best light for a particular employer. This will |
| People react to numbers! Numbers are alive and | | | | help you to get more interviews and allow you to |
| powerful. They create vivid images in our minds. | | | | apply for a wider range of jobs. |