Table of Contents
Introduction
4
1.
Resume Dos and Don’ts
21
2.
Resume Preparation
28
3.
Putting It All Together & Writing Your Resume
46
4.
Resume Samples
98
About the Author
Louise Fletcher is the President and
Co-founder of Blue Sky Resumes.
Louise loves to help make job searching fun—yes, fun!—
and effective. She co-founded Blue Sky Resumes in 2002
after a career as an HR executive in such industries as
music, video games, fashion, and advertising. A word
nerd at heart, Louise developed the Blue Sky resume
approach, has written a series of job search and career
guides, and has been a featured expert for Oprah Winfrey
Magazine, The Washington Post, and The Ladders,
among many other publications. In her spare time she
paints and cooks. She also gardens, with results that can
best be described as mixed.
The Blue Sky Guide to Job Search is one of a series of guides designed to give
job seekers all the tools they need to succeed in today’s competitive job market.
You might also like…
The Blue Sky Guide to Job Search
Discover how to find – and win – the best jobs, often before anyone else knows
about them! We’ll walk you step-by-step through eye-opening strategies that
help you bypass job boards and uncover hidden opportunities.
The Blue Sky Guide to LinkedIn
Did you know LinkedIn is the #1 business networking site in the world? With this
guide, you’ll learn how to use it to increase your visibility, find the best jobs, and
learn what businesses want, before the interview.
The Blue Sky Guide to Job Search Letters
Learn how to write a cover letter, thank you note, or email that gets results! With
detailed instructions and tons of real-world examples, I’ll show you exactly how
to write letters that make a great first impression.
hances are your resume doesn’t get the response it deserves.
If you’ve already started a job search, you’ve probably become
disillusioned by how few employers bother even to acknowledge
your applications.
If this is you, you’re not alone – there are millions of resumes floating around
in cyberspace. The job market is more competitive than ever, and Internet job
boards and computer resume databases have made it harder than ever to stand
out.
Or perhaps you haven’t actually started looking yet because you’re completely
stuck when it comes to describing yourself on paper.
If that describes you, you are also not alone. Almost all of us struggle when it
comes to marketing ourselves effectively. We don’t know how to strike the right
tone, we have thorny career issues we’re not sure how to address, or we just
plain don’t know how to get started.
Writing a resume is one of the most challenging aspects of a job search, but it’s
also one of the most important. Your resume speaks for you when you’re not
there. If it’s saying the right things, you’ll get interviews. But most resumes are
not saying the right things and, as a result, the entire job search process can
become frustrating, confusing, and a source of enormous stress.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way.
It’s not you, it’s your resume!
I haven’t met you but I’d be willing to bet that your current resume doesn’t do
you justice. I’m confident of this because I’ve seen tens of thousands of resumes
over the years and very few of them accurately represented the human beings
who wrote them.
You have a set of skills, experiences, and personality traits that make you unlike
every other person applying for the same position. You have made an impact
on past employers with new ideas or improved processes or better customer
service or higher sales.
But you’ve done more than that – you’ve contributed in countless ways. Perhaps
you’re the guy everyone comes to for creative ideas. Or the woman whom coworkers rely on for IT help. Maybe you’re the most determined member of any
team, or the most innovative, or the most reliable, or the one who always gets
handed the problems other people can’t solve. You might be the person who
makes everyone else laugh, or the leader who can inspire teams even in the
darkest days, or the admin assistant who makes it possible for your bosses to
take vacations for the first time in years.
When you send in a resume for the perfect job, it can be baffling to not receive
a response. After all, you know you can do that job! You have every qualification
they asked for. Why are they rejecting you out of hand?
But that’s the thing … they’re not rejecting you. They can’t reject you because
they don’t know you! What they are actually rejecting is the version of yourself
presented in your resume.
If you get that presentation right by creating a document that conveys your
unique background – and why it makes you the perfect fit – in a compelling and
easy-to-read format, you will find that interview invitations start rolling in.
In this guide, I am going to teach you exactly how to do that, step-by-step and
with lots of real world examples to give you ideas and inspiration.
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THE BLUE Sk Y GUIDE TO RESUME WRITING
Who is this guide for?
The principles I am going to teach you are universal. I write resumes for people
at all levels, from recent graduates to senior-level executives, and I use this same
approach for all of them. The content of an executive resume is obviously very
different from the content of a resume for a recent graduate, but the method for
creating that content is exactly the same. No matter what level you’re currently
at, or what level you want to get to, this resume writing system will work for you.
Different countries and cultures have different approaches to resume writing,
and I am not an expert in them all. But if you live in the USA, Canada, the UK,
Australia, or New Zealand, this approach to resume writing will work for you.
Why I wrote this guide
Before starting my own resume writing business, I spent 15 years working in HR.
Over that time I hired thousands of people, from entry-level to senior executives,
and I saw that a select group of people succeeded in marketing themselves
effectively while most failed to make the most of their skills and experience.
The truth is that most of the resumes I received were just plain awful. They didn’t
give me the right information, they didn’t present it effectively, and they didn’t
use the right keywords to show up in database searches.
Seeing the opportunity to help people stand out among all these terrible
resumes, I started my own resume writing service. Using my knowledge of
the hiring process, I was able to write resumes that appealed to HR managers,
recruiters, and hiring managers. As the business grew by word-of-mouth, the
workload grew too much for me and I developed a system to train other writers
to do the same.
I truly get satisfaction from my work. I love hearing from clients that they sent
out their new resume and immediately began to get phone calls. I love getting
the emails telling me they landed a great new job.
But there’s one downside to what I do. Many people can’t afford the fee for a
top quality professional resume.
Over and over again, I watched people choose lower-priced services to save
money, or use ‘quick’ online systems promising a great resume in just a few
minutes. Inevitably they were disappointed with the results, and it bothered me
to think I wasn’t helping them create the future they deserved.
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That’s when I decided to write my series of Blue Sky Guides – to share my resume
writing and job search systems with anyone who needs help to get more
interviews and better job opportunities.
When I first released a version of this guide, I wasn’t entirely sure if it would
work. Would people be able to apply my principles to their own resume and
get results? But four years later, the results are in. Very few weeks go by without
emails from people who bought this guide, or one of our other Blue Sky Guides,
and whose job search has turned around as a result.
The reasons this resume writing system works so well are:
1. It’s grounded in a very solid philosophy.
2. I take you step-by-step through the whole process with lots of real-world
illustrations, so that you’re never lost for ways to apply my ideas to your
personal situation.
Before we dive in and start working, let me explain more about the ideas behind the
program so that you will understand why you’re doing the things you’re going to be
doing.
The philosophy behind this guide
My resume writing system is based on the premise that looking for a job is like
marketing – only instead of selling a product, you are selling yourself.
Just as with marketing, you are trying to persuade strangers to pay attention
to you. Just as with product marketing, you have to show them why they
should care about you by showing them how they will benefit. And just as with
product marketing, you have only a very short time to get their attention and
communicate your core message.
Anyone who works in marketing will recognize elements of my system because
they closely relate to the ways companies brand and market any service.
As you work through the modules, you’ll be developing a solid understanding
of:
The needs and concerns of your target audience.
What you – and only you! – can offer them. (I call this your ‘unique value
proposition.’)
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How to put that value proposition into words.
How to structure and format your resume so that your value is obvious at a
glance.
In short, my goal throughout the program is to teach you how to understand
and communicate what makes you uniquely valuable.
How does the program work?
If you’re a little uncomfortable with the idea of marketing yourself as you would
market a product, you’re not alone. Most of us were taught not to boast when
we were children, so when we sit down to write a resume, we feel awkward and
unsure of how to present ourselves in the best possible light. Many people even
get writer’s block.
The resulting resume is usually a stilted, lifeless document that doesn’t represent
the real person who wrote it.
My system has been designed to help you avoid writer’s block, overcome your
modesty, and write a compelling resume that truly does represent the real you.
That’s because we start by not writing a resume.
That’s right – a resume writing system that doesn’t involve writing a resume! At
least not at first.
In order to help you overcome writer’s block and develop the best possible
content for your resume, my system is broken into five modules:
Module 1: An Introduction to the Blue Sky Approach
That’s what you’re reading now!
Module 2: Resume Dos and Don’ts
Before you get started on your own resume, I’m going to give you my general
resume writing rules – traps to avoid and tips on how to succeed. These
principles will be important to keep in mind as you work through the next two
modules and you can refer to them at any time.
Module 3: The Preparation Stage
At this stage, you are not focused on writing the actual resume. You’re not
worrying about format, structure, font choice, spelling, grammar, or even how
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many pages you write. Instead, you’re just focused on a series of exercises that
will help you develop the content for your resume.
Because the pressure of writing the resume is gone, you will find this process
easier than you thought. You will also gain confidence as you answer my
questions and begin to realize just how much you have to offer future
employers.
You will work through a series of exercises designed to help you:
Define your job targets.
Understand the needs of your target market.
Draft content and develop ideas that will form the basis of your resume.
The exercises are based on the Blue Sky Resumes proprietary questionnaire “The
Explorer,” and also on the training I give my own professional resume writers.
At the end of this stage, you will have all the raw content you need for your
resume.
Module 4: Putting it All Together – Writing Your Resume
Once you have developed all your content, you will find this stage much easier
than you imagined. You will know what message you want to convey and you
will have written everything you need. Now you will simply edit, polish, and
format the information until you have a highly effective marketing document
that generates interest and dramatically increases your job search success.
During Module 4 you will:
Develop a resume profile that communicates your value proposition.
Write concise, context-filled job descriptions that set the scene.
Edit your accomplishment stories into concise, action-packed bullet points
that make employers excited to meet you.
Choose a resume structure and format that highlights your strongest selling
points (and downplays any weaknesses).
Create various versions of your resume so that everyone can view it no
matter what computer system they are using.
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Once your resume is complete, we’ll also cover adapting it to suit different
situations and you’ll be able to assess your new resume using my proprietary
resume evaluation questionnaire.
Module 5: Sample resumes
In Module 5, I give you 20 actual resumes created for real people (although
disguised to protect their personal information). You’ll see how the principles
of my system apply to real-world situations, and you’ll gain ideas for your own
resume.
The free resume templates
Because this program is all about individuality, copying the words on someone
else’s resume is never the way to go. Doing so will only result in a copycat
resume that doesn’t do you justice.
But there’s nothing wrong with getting design ideas and help, so that you can
focus on the message.
For this reason, the guide comes with 20 MS Word resume templates. These
resumes are the same ones included at the end of this guide as samples, but
the Word templates are provided so that you can use one of our formats if you
choose to.
In addition, if you have seen a resume on our website at www.blueskyresumes.
com/free-resume-samples and would like to obtain an MS Word copy, just email
your receipt for the book to info@blueskyresumes.com and we’ll send you a
copy.
What kind of transformation can you expect?
To see what you’re going to be able to produce once you work through the
system, take a look at the resume makeovers on the next few pages.
Resume #1 – Tax Director
This client came to me with a concern that he had a “spotty and unimpressive”
career (his words). After he completed our worksheets and spent time with me
on the phone, it became apparent that there were a couple of strong threads
running through his story. I decided to focus on two main themes:
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1. He had been successful in everything he attempted.
2. He had a broad and deep expertise in his field.
The “before” resume is professional and concise, but it conveys nothing of my
client’s expertise and nothing that answers the prospective employer’s question:
“What’s in it for me?”
The “after” version, however, is coherent and compelling, and every word is
focused on communicating the client’s value to potential employers. It clearly
communicates his expertise and positions him as a leader in his field.
He’s the same person, but the reaction to his resume was strikingly different.
Within one month of receiving this new resume, “David” wrote to me to say that
he was choosing between two high-profile positions – one with the IRS and one
with a Fortune 500 company that he had set his sights on.
He was amazed at the difference in people’s reaction to him once he
communicated his value proposition as a recognized expert who teaches and
writes on his area of expertise.
See both resumes on the following pages.
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Page 1 of Berkeley’s resume – “Before”
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Page 1 of Berkeley’s resume – “After”
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Resume #2 – Video Game Producer
David Jones’s original resume was very old-fashioned and did not communicate
any of his great experience or his ability to solve problems and deliver results.
A video game producer is a project manager. Video games are a huge business
and each project represents a major investment for the game company. Video
game producers manage teams of 30-100 people and control multimillion-dollar
budgets. Projects are incredibly complex because they involve art, design, and
software development.
Therefore, employers need to be assured that the producer they hire can
manage large teams, keep complex projects on track, and deliver quality work.
David’s original resume begins with an objective statement, in which he tells
employers what he wants in his next job. His new resume focuses instead on
what he can do for employers by stressing his strengths as they relate to the
employer’s needs. An employer reference is included for extra assurance that
David really is as good as he says.
The new resume immediately generated responses and David was quickly hired
(see below).
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Page 1 of Jones’s resume – “Before”
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Page 1 of Jones’s resume – “After”
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Resume #3 – Recruiter
Sandy Kumar is a recruiter –- and a very good one. He has exceptional results in
each of his positions, but his original resume (see “Before”) did not convey his
skills effectively.
Notice that he also begins with an objective statement telling employers what
he’s looking for. I’ll explain why this is an ineffective start later in the guide, but
you can see for yourself when you compare that to the “After” resume which
begins with a headline showing how Sandy can add value to his next employer.
Sandy’s key accomplishments were not highlighted in his old resume because
he didn’t use bolding or white space between bullet points, and in some cases
he didn’t quantify his impact. In the new resume, four bolded lines highlight his
impact on the organization.
Even with nothing but a quick glance at the new resume, it would be hard to
miss the fact that Sandy has generated significant results as a recruiter (see
below).
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Page 1 of Kumar’s resume – “Before”
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Page 1 of Kumar’s resume – “After”
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In Summary
You can see the difference that I have been able to make for my clients. But it’s
not magic. It’s based on a simple and consistent formula honed over time and
used with every one of our clients.
Follow my instructions and you will be able to do the same. All you have to do
is commit some time and energy to making your resume the best it can be. And
who knows, in the process, you might even learn something about yourself.
Ready to get started? Let’s make that phone ring!
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I
know you’re probably itching to get started on writing that great
new resume. But before you dive in to the hard work, I want to
explain some of my general guidelines and principles for writing a
great resume.
I’m not a big believer in rules when it comes to marketing yourself – I think if you
have a creative idea for how to present your value proposition, you should give
it a try – but these principles guide my own resume writing and I think it will be
helpful to keep them in mind as you work on your own document.
So here are my resume “do’s and don’ts” based on the things I’ve learned about
hiring, looking for a job, and writing a resume.
DO: Accentuate the Positive
When you start to work on your resume, you may start to hear voices in your
head. These voices will be talking about you.
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They’ll be questioning whether the things you’re writing are really all that
impressive. They’ll be whispering that other people went to a better school than
you, or got a degree when you didn’t get one, or worked for more high-profile
companies. These voices are going to lead you astray, so don’t listen to them!
I remember a senior executive client named Matt Davies who was hearing those
kinds of voices. Like many people in this tough job market, Matt was looking for
a job for the very first time in his thirty-year career.
Prior to losing his job as CEO of a software developer, Matt had been recruited
from one job to the next by former colleagues and managers, or by executive
recruiters. Then his company was acquired in a hostile takeover and Matt found
himself out of work.
He became my resume client after he had written and rewritten his resume
dozens of times without success. When we spoke, he was feeling extremely
insecure. He had been out of work for five months and was beginning to feel
that he would never work again. “There are just too many problems with my
background,” he said.
Matt explained that he had held a variety of
positions (CFO, COO, CEO) in many different
industries, and he worried that potential
employers would see him as a job hopper. In
addition, he was sure that his lack of an MBA
was hurting his job search.
I asked Matt to put aside his concerns for an hour or so and just talk to me about
his career history. And, boy, was I impressed when he did! In each one of his
positions, Matt had come into a troubled situation and quickly zeroed in on the
company’s core business problem. Within months, he had developed a strategy
to expand market share and grow revenues.
This had happened regardless of his title and regardless of the industry. The
results spoke for themselves – dramatic turnarounds, double-digit sales
increases, companies saved from bankruptcy ... Matt had built an impressive
track record of success.
As we worked through the process of creating his new resume, Matt came to
recognize that his breadth of experience wasn’t a weakness but a strength. Of
the missing MBA, he told me, “I guess it won’t matter much after they see what I
can do for them.”
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Matt was right, and the same applies to you.
No one has a perfect resume. All of your competitors have issues to overcome.
They’ve been with one company “too long” or they haven’t been with the
company “long enough”; they don’t have a degree or they have too many
degrees and worry about being “over-qualified”; they have worked in only one
industry or they’ve worked in too many industries; they’re “too young” or they’re
“too old” … the list goes on and on.
But imagine Bill Gates sitting down to write his resume back when he was
running Microsoft. Would he worry that he never finished college? Would
he wonder who would hire a guy who’s never had a boss? Perhaps he’d be
concerned that he has only ever worked in one company. Of course, none of
those things would stop people from hiring Bill Gates because the positives
more than outweigh the negatives.
So, when you embark on a job search, do not worry about what you don’t have,
didn’t do, haven’t experienced. Eliminate negative thoughts, silence those voices,
and focus on the positive aspects of your background.
Never worked for anyone else? Then you won’t need your hand held every
minute of the day. Worked in many different industries? That shows you’re
capable of success in any field. Don’t have an MBA? Well, look what you’ve
accomplished without one!
No matter what level you’re at right now or what you do for a living, your
target companies want to hire winners. By accentuating the positive, you can
show them that this is exactly what you are. So, as you work on your resume
preparation, I want you to turn every negative into a positive.
DON’T: Lie or Exaggerate on Your Resume
Accentuating the positive means putting a positive spin on your background –
shining a light on those things you want people to see and pushing the other
stuff into a dark corner. It doesn’t mean you should be dishonest.
If you make things up on your resume, you will probably be caught out during
the interview process. And if not, you may well be caught at some time in the
future. If that happens, you will likely be fired.
Recently I came across a website advertising an instructional guide on how to lie
on your resume. An actual guide! Being sold for money! It may as well be called
“How to Risk Ruining Everything.”
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Tell the truth on your resume. There are lots of fabulous things about you – more
than enough to make up for any perceived flaws or issues. Be proud of the
experiences you’ve had and be honest about the ones you haven’t had.
DO: Invest Time and Energy in Your Resume
Before you bought this guide, you probably looked at lots of guides and online
systems promising an easy or quick solution to your need for a new resume. I’m
sorry to say that anyone promising this is not leveling with you.
It’s certainly possible to write a resume quickly and easily. It’s possible to do
anything easily and quickly if you’re willing to do it badly!
But if you want a resume that sells you to potential employers, that makes the
most of your unique skills and abilities, and that communicates what’s truly
special about you so that employers pick up the phone to schedule interviews,
you’ll have to put in some effort.
There are no shortcuts, but there is a tried and tested formula. And that’s what I
can give to you: my step-by-step system for writing a resume that sells.
And really, why wouldn’t you want to put some time and effort into the most
important document you’ll ever write?
Does that sound like an overstatement? Consider this:
Your resume determines whether you get interviews.
It represents you to people who have no idea who you are, but who have the
power to determine your future.
It often determines interview questions.
It establishes your economic worth in the minds of potential employers.
It stays on your personnel file for future managers to review.
Your resume quite literally determines your future.
Given all this, it’s worth investing some time in creating a document that truly
sets you apart.
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DON’T: Use “Resume-speak”
Many resumes are written in a very stilted, overly formal voice. Don’t be
tempted to use big words that you wouldn’t normally use in real life.
Your reader is busy and hassled and doesn’t want to have to figure out what
you’re saying, so write your resume using simple, easily understood words.
If you are in a highly technical profession, use layman’s terms where possible so
that an HR manager or recruiter can understand what you’re saying.
DO: Appreciate What You’ve Accomplished
As you work through the preparation process, you will notice that your
confidence increases as you realize your unique value to employers. You
will gain a new appreciation for yourself and for what you bring to potential
employers.
Too often people tell me that they feel uncomfortable patting themselves on
the back or taking credit for their achievements. This humility is admirable in
many situations, but not during a job search.
As you write your resume, you’re going to need to take all the credit you’re
owed. Don’t lie and say you did more than you did, but don’t play down your
role either.
Looking for a job can be a tough process, and appreciating your own
accomplishments will help boost your confidence on days when things don’t go
as you had hoped.
DON’T: Use Company Jargon
People who work for technology companies are often the worst offenders
at this. I think technology companies have a specialized term for everything,
including eating lunch!
Also large companies or government organizations tend to have special names
and acronyms for everything.
The problem is that outsiders have never heard these terms before and
therefore can’t understand what you are saying. So avoid any acronyms or
terms used only in your company and not in general. If you’re not sure what is
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company jargon and what is standard terminology, have friends or relatives read
the resume and point out words or phrases they don’t understand.
DO: Use Your Resume Preparation Work
for More Than Your Resume
As you work through this guide, you’ll see that the resume preparation process
is a great help in preparing for interviews. As you develop your resume content,
you will also be developing a series of stories and anecdotes that will be very
useful to you in interviews.
You will also have a much clearer sense of how to answer the dreaded question
“Why should we hire you?” (Note, if you need help with interview preparation,
you might want to check out The Blue Sky Guide to Job Search, which contains
detailed instructions on how to use anecdotes and stories to make a great
impression during interviews.)
DO: Answer the WIIFM Question
Resumes that get results have one thing in common – they answer the
employer’s key question: What’s in it for me?
Think about the manager who opens your email and starts to read your resume.
In all likelihood, she is overworked and understaffed. She’s probably working to
tight deadlines and she desperately wants to hire that extra person to make her
life easier.
So when she looks at your resume, she wants to know one thing: how you will
make her life easier.
This is the case whether you are a senior-level executive, a professional, or an
entry-level employee just starting out. No matter what your experience-level,
the manager will want to know: What’s in it for me?
Most resumes don’t answer this question effectively at all. Instead, they
are usually a straightforward listing of positions held and responsibilities
undertaken.
And this means that every resume the hiring manager opens looks like every
other resume she received for the same position. Her job is to try and figure
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out which ones she should read in more detail, but it’s tough because no one is
making it easy for her.
Sometimes she makes the right choice and sometimes she doesn’t. Her ‘no’ pile
definitely contains people she would have interviewed had she known how
good they were.
If you follow the steps I’m going to show you, your new resume will definitely
answer the employer’s key question: What’s in it for me?
In Summary
Keep these key pointers in mind as you begin to work on your resume, and refer
to them now and then as you continue, just to help keep you on track.
Now it’s time to move on to Module 2, where we’ll start creating the content for
your new resume.
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T
he preparation stage is crucial to developing a strong resume
because it frees you from the constraints of writing an actual
resume. At this stage you don’t have to worry about word choice or
formatting or grammar – just focus on creating lots of notes.
In this section of the guide, I’m going to take you through four steps that will
help you develop content and ideas that will form the basis of your resume.
They are:
1. Research target positions and employers to understand their needs.
2. Draft job descriptions for each position you’ve held.
3. Draft stories of your accomplishments in each position.
4. Learn your unique value to employers and develop a concise description of
that value.
For each step, I will explain what you’re doing, why it’s important, and how to do
the exercise.
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Keep Notes
All this information will be crucial when you come to write your resume, so it’s
important that you keep notes and clearly mark all notes with the number of the
exercise that generated them. This way, you can easily locate the information
you want later on.
I recommend writing your notes in Word or another word processing program
because then you can cut and paste once you’re ready to start your resume, but
if you prefer to write by hand, start a new notebook dedicated to this process.
Don’t worry about structure or choosing the right words because no one will
see your notes if you don’t want them to.
Remember, while this process requires work, it’s not a chore. This is good work
– work that will help you move forward in your career and in your life – and it’s
worth doing well. View it as an opportunity to reflect on your past, decide what
you want in the future, and create a roadmap for getting there.
Let’s get started!
Excercise 1: Identifying Your Target Positions
What is this?
The first task is to clearly define the type of positions you want. You need to be
as specific as possible about industry, function, title, and even size of company if
you have a preference.
Why is it important?
As the English author Lewis Carroll famously said: “If you don’t know where you
are going, any road will take you there.”
Resume writing is very similar to any other kind of marketing, and marketers
know that they can’t make their product appeal to everyone. (iPod ads are not
targeted at the 65-and-over market, and ads for calcium supplements are not
aimed at teenage boys.)
Marketers choose a target market for their product or service and then tailor all
their messages to address the needs of that target audience.
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The same applies to resume writing.
It is impossible to write a really great resume if you do not have a clear target for
your search. You don’t have to know that you want to be the marketing manager
at ACME Widgets in Charlotte, North Carolina, but you do need to know the
type of position you are targeting.
How do you decide on target positions?
At a minimum, you need to know the target function – for example, that you’re
looking for a position in accounting, or administration, or marketing – and the
level of position that you seek (entry-level, clerical, manager, VP, etc.).
In an ideal world, it’s even better if you can narrow your targets down further by:
Size of company (small, mid-size, or large?)
Industry
Type of company (conservative, fast-paced, entrepreneurial?)
Current situation (start-up, turnaround, stable?)
It’s not always possible or desirable to be that specific, but – just as with
marketing – the better you know your audience, the more chance you have of
creating a message that appeals to them.
As an example, here is my description of the kind of position I’d be looking for if
I were to go back into Human Resources:
I’d like an SVP/VP position – definitely the most senior HR executive – within a
small to mid-sized entrepreneurial company. I want to work in a creative industry
such as music or arts and entertainment. My ideal environment is fast-paced, with
lots of change and very little red tape. It’s very important to me that the company
understands and values strategic HR initiatives.
Looking at that example, you can see why targeting is so important.
If I know that I want to work in a fast-paced company with lots of change, I can
target my marketing message at those types of companies by using words that
will appeal to them.
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Do it!
Describe your target position now. Include as much information as you can,
such as function, level, industry, size of company, company culture, etc.
Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, etc. Only you will see these notes
and you don’t care! What matters is to get the ideas down on paper.
When you’re done, save your notes in a file marked “Exercise 1” because
you will come back to these when you move on to writing your resume.
Frequently asked questions about target positions
What if I Have Several Different Targets?
If you have several job targets that are quite different, it’s perfectly fine to have
different resumes for each target audience – for example, one that targets
marketing positions and one for sales. Or one aimed at a junior-level position
and one for a more senior role.
The key thing is to keep your marketing message as focused as possible – if this
means creating more than one resume, then do it.
I’ll talk more at the end of the guide about specific ways you can target your
resume to suit different needs, but for now I just wanted you to be aware that
you can have more than one resume.
What if I don’t know what I want to do?
Stop! Don’t try to go any further with this guide until you have a clear idea of
one or more job targets.
I can’t stress this enough. Remember, “If you don’t know where you are going,
any road will take you there.” You cannot write an effective resume if you don’t
know your target audience.
I highly recommend career counseling, or at the very least some work on your
own, to decide on a direction for your search.
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Here are two excellent books on the subject:
“What Color is Your Parachute?” by Richard Nelson Bolles
“Pathfinder” by Nicholas Lore
Exercise 2: Drafting Your Job Descriptions
What is this?
It’s important to provide a brief description of each of your previous jobs (and your
current one) on your resume. This is a short paragraph that describes the scope of
your duties.
Why is it important?
The purpose of this section of the resume is to give an overview so that readers
will understand what you did on a daily basis and have some context for
appreciating your impact on the organization.
How?
I’m going to ask you some questions designed to identify what you did on a
daily basis, what you were accountable for, and what challenges you faced. You
need to answer these questions for each position.
Remember, at this stage you’re not writing the actual job description for your
resume – you’re just pulling the information together, so don’t worry about
word choice or spelling. Just get all your thoughts on paper.
Do it!
Start a new file and label it “Exercises 2 and 3.” (This is because once you’ve
completed this exercise, you’ll use the same file to do Exercise 3.)
There are 3 steps to drafting the information for your job descriptions:
1. List each position you’ve held — start with the most recent and work
backwards.
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List company name, job title, and dates of employment. You can use months
and years (e.g., 06/99-07/03) or just years if you prefer (1999-2003). Using years
without months is a nice way to disguise gaps in employment without being
untruthful.
2. Outline your job responsibilities.
What were you accountable for in that job? What did your job description
say? These notes will form the basis of a brief summary to let the reader
understand the scope of your job, so include anything that would help
a stranger understand your work (such as number of clients, budget
managed, number of projects, size of department, or revenue targets).
As examples, a payroll processor might say how many employees she pays,
a CFO should give revenue and budgets, and a costume designer might
outline the number of costumes/productions in any one year. Managers
and executives should always include the number of people managed and
the size of the budget they administered.
3. Describe the situation when you were hired.
Was the company growing, shrinking, going through change? Was the
department running smoothly or falling to pieces? Was your predecessor
effective or not? (And if not, what impact did that have on you?) What were
you hired to do? What challenges did you or the company face at that time?
This information will be helpful later, as it will help you tell a compelling
story of your work history.
Don’t close the document, because you will be using the same file for the next
exercise. Save the document as ‘Exercises 2 and 3’ and keep it open to use again
for Exercise 3.
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Exercise 3: Drafting Your Career Accomplishments
What is this?
Your resume needs to contain short but persuasive examples of your career
accomplishments — those actions or achievements that made a difference to
your employer. These are generally presented as bullet points below each job
description.
Why?
Any company will hire any employee if they feel that employee will add value to
their business.
That means the core of a strong resume is proof that you have made an impact
on previous employers.
Most resumes do not provide enough proof. Instead, they tend to focus way too
much on responsibilities and not enough on accomplishments.
A responsibility is something you are supposed to do – it’s written in your job
description. A customer service clerk is responsible for helping customers find
what they’re looking for. A QA tester is responsible for finding software bugs. A
Marketing VP is responsible for developing a marketing strategy.
But what does any of this tell me? If I am looking to hire one of these people, is it
helpful to me to know what they were supposed to do? Of course not. I need to
know what they did do.
One QA tester might have found very few bugs, while another may have
suggested changes to the bug-tracking database that ensured quicker and more
accurate fixes.
One sales clerk may never have left his or her post, while another became
known for making an extra effort to help customers.
One Marketing VP may not have been able to implement his strategy because
he didn’t gain management buy-in, while another contributed to a 25% sales
increase.
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So a key ingredient of a powerful resume is proof that you can add value, which
you provide by placing the main focus on your accomplishments, not on your
responsibilities.
Eventually, the work you do in this section of the guide will be edited down into
accomplishment bullet points beneath each job description, so that the reader
can quickly see your impact.
How do you write about your accomplishments?
This is where I let you in on one of the most closely-held secrets of professional
resume writers – the formula that will help you create great bullet points every
time.
In my practice as a professional resume writer, I constantly meet people who have
made a great impact on the companies they worked for but just didn’t see it that
way. It’s common for people to say, “Oh that! That was nothing special. It was just
part of my job.”
This is because most of us are so busy doing our jobs that it’s hard to step back
and see what we have accomplished. But once you spend some time thinking
about your work, you’ll be amazed at how much of an impact you have actually
had in each of your positions – and this applies whether you’re an entry-level
accountant whose only prior experience is volunteer work, or a senior-level
executive with 20 years of experience.
The secret to getting at our accomplishments is to use what we call the
challenge-action-results formula (or C.A.R.). It goes like this:
1. Challenge: What was the challenge (problem or situation) that existed
before you took action?
2. Action: What action did you take and why?
3. Result: What was the result of your action? (How were things different once
you were done?)
For example, a recent client was looking to stay in retail customer service with
a major retail chain. We talked about her past experience and I asked her to
describe a problem she had solved.
Client: “The customer service desk was horribly disorganized, which meant that
customers had to wait on line while staff hunted for the information they needed.”
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This was the challenge. Next, I asked what she did (action) to fix this.
Client: “I stayed late every night for a week after the store was closed and
reorganized everything. Then I conducted a training session for the customer
service team so that everyone knew where to find what they needed.”
What was the result?
Client: “Lines were much shorter and we won the company’s customer service
award 2 quarters in a row. Our mystery shopper ratings went up significantly.”
By telling this story, my client showed that she has problem-solving skills, takes
the initiative, and really cares about excellence in customer service – which is a
critical concern of retail hiring managers.
Here are more examples:
Programmer for animation studio
Challenge: Modeling problems could be identified only during the rigging
stage, which delayed production because we had to go back and redo the
models.
Action: I developed a tool that enabled modelers to diagnose and correct
modeling problems before rigging.
Result: We reduced expensive charge-backs and improved productivity.
Modeling errors were reduced to almost zero.
Event Planner – not-for-profit
Challenge: I had to obtain media exposure for small non-profit with limited
budget.
Action: I had the idea for an Earth Day partnership with a leading health food
retailer. I organized it from start to finish.
Result: Extensive media coverage, including The New York Times and ABC. As a
result, the health food retailer formed an ongoing national partnership with the
non-profit and, as of the time of writing, fundraising is up just over 8%.
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HR Manager
Challenge: Benefits costs were rising and management wanted to cut part-time
staff from the plans in order to save money.
Action: Worked with broker to closely analyze claims history and came up with
minor modifications to the plan that would impact very few employees.
Result: Negotiated a renewal of health benefits at 10% below nationwide
average increase and kept part-time staff on the benefits plan.
Product Development Executive
Challenge: Inherited under-performing department with no formal product
strategy, no market research, and no clear value proposition for the main
product.
Action: Conducted extensive market research to clarify consumer needs.
Developed value proposition, and identified other product opportunities. Led
development of 2 new products as a result of research and eliminated one old
product.
Result: 40% increase in revenue over a two-year period, from $140M to $200M
annually.
Executive Assistant
Challenge: Consulting company didn’t have an accurate way of tracking
projects or the whereabouts of consultants.
Action: Learned MS Access and created a resource assignment database.
Result: The new system allowed management to allocate 70 consultants
efficiently.
Web Designer
Challenge: Inherited project with unhappy client who had requested a new
designer after several unsuccessful attempts to create a look client liked.
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Action: Spent a whole day with client and his staff, getting to know the business
and their customers and to understand their value proposition.
Result: Came up with 3 new designs, one of which was chosen. Kept the
client, who has since referred two other projects worth more than $22,000 in
additional business for the company.
Office Manager
Challenge: Brought in to work for three sales executives who had been without
an assistant for more than a year. The office was a nightmare!
Action: Went through mountains of files and paperwork and met with each
executive to find out individual needs. Established filing systems, set up a
database and calendar system and made sure all client communication was
funneled through me.
Result: Within 3 months had all the files cleared away and the database
built. Managers were able to be much more productive and their sales results
increased by 15% during the first year.
You can see that these achievements vary depending on the seniority and
length of experience, but all address some frequent problem experienced by
the hiring managers in that industry/profession.
Do it!
You are now going to write your own C.A.R. stories.
In the previous exercise, you created a list of your positions and drafted
an outline of your job descriptions. Use that same document to write your
C.A.R. stories – just type each story under the relevant position.
For each story, describe the initial situation (the challenge), what you did
to fix the problem (the action), and what outcome (the result) occurred
because of your efforts.
Write at least 5 C.A.R. stories for each of your last 3 positions and at least 3
for any prior positions.
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Once you’re done, you’ll have the basis for an extremely action-oriented
resume that proves (by showing how you’ve done it in the past) that you
can add value to your next employer.
Now save your ‘Exercises 2 and 3’ file, and you’re ready to move on to the
last stage of preparation.
Exercise 4: Developing Your Value Proposition
(Or “Who are you and why should they hire you?”)
Now that you’ve developed the foundation for your resume by creating
job descriptions and C.A.R. stories, I am going to introduce you to the most
powerful idea of this whole guide.
If you do nothing else differently, do this one thing and you will immediately see
an improvement in the response rate to your resume, in your confidence, and in
your interview performance.
What’s the magic trick?
You are going to look at yourself in the same way a marketer looks at a product,
and you’re going to develop your own value proposition.
What is a Value Proposition?
Wikipedia defines a value proposition as “a statement summarizing the
customer targets, competitor targets and the core strategy for how one intends
to differentiate one’s product from the offerings of competitors.”
In other words, what makes you better than all the other people who want the
same positions?
Examples of Value Propositions
A recent client (a marketing executive) had consistently driven sales and market
share growth by re-evaluating the company’s product strategy and defining a
clear market niche.
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He had done this in small, medium, and large companies – even in challenging
economic times and market downturns. It quickly became clear that this ability
was the core of his value proposition because it was what differentiated him
from other people in the same type of position.
He was targeting companies within an industry that was experiencing a lot
of turmoil. Therefore, his ability to grow revenues by bringing clarity to their
market strategy would be very appealing.
That is his value proposition.
Another client, a sales manager, was less fortunate in his choice of employers. He
had worked in some very tough situations and had not always been able to beat
his quotas but, in almost all his positions, he had forged unusual partnerships
and alliances in order to get into new markets. This talent was a key feature of
his value proposition, and it made him highly desirable to companies looking for
that particular skill.
And this concept doesn’t work only for senior-level executives. Eileen was
working as an executive assistant when she became my client, but she had
a varied background encompassing everything from accountancy to travel
agency work. When we first started working together, she claimed that she
had no value proposition. “I’m just like every other clerical worker,” she told me.
“There’s nothing special about me.”
I insisted that she complete the value proposition exercises and when we were
done, she called me up.
“I’m amazed,” she said. “I never realized the common thread that runs through all
my jobs. I’m Frodo Baggins! No matter how great the challenge, I’m always the
one who offers to ‘take the ring,’ and somehow I find a way to get it done, no
matter what field or industry.”
Bingo!
Why is the value proposition important?
Your value proposition will clearly tell employers why they should consider
hiring you. It will form the basis for your resume profile (a brief summary of your
skills and experience which will lead off your resume).
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It’s easy to forget that the people reading your resume know absolutely nothing
about you. They are faced with nothing but a huge influx of resumes – most of
them boring and indistinguishable from one another.
They are rushed and need to find that one special person – the one who meets
their needs and can offer a solution to their problems.
YOU know all the reasons they should hire you, but they have no idea unless you
spell it out for them really clearly.
How do you create your value proposition?
Marketers create value propositions for their products because the audience
doesn’t have time to figure out what’s great about their product. It’s just the
same with people.
When a marketer develops the value proposition for a product, she looks at
three things:
1. What are the needs/concerns/desires of my target audience?
2. What is unique about my product?
3. How does it address the needs/concerns/desires of my target market?
Once she knows the answers to these questions, she can craft a marketing
message that resonates with her target audience by showing that they need this
product because it is the only one that can satisfy their need.
For your resume, you are going to do the exact same thing for yourself.
Your last exercise is broken into a series of questions that will lead you to the
point where you can clearly articulate your value proposition.
In this exercise, you will identify:
A. What makes you unique and different?
B. What are the needs of your target employers?
C. How does “A” fit with “B” to create “C”: your unique value proposition?
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Do it!
Start a new file entitled “Exercise 4” and let’s get started:
A) Questions About What Makes You Unique and Different
1. What are your strongest personal characteristics? Give examples of times you
displayed this quality. (Being specific is very important – if the qualities you
list are really your key strengths, you’ll be able to think of many examples of
times you used these strengths.)
If you need help, here’s an example from a recent client worksheet completed by a
CFO:
“I’m very tenacious – this means I just won’t give in when faced with a problem. In my
last job, the company was almost out of business when I joined and everyone said
I would fail. They said I’d never be able to get the cost structure in line and that the
business was doomed. The other senior execs were demoralized and had also given
up. After I ran the numbers, I saw why. The situation was grim, but I won’t give up
without a fight! I pulled together a senior-level team and challenged them to develop
a solution. We ended up completely refocusing the business, changing the product
strategy and going into a new market. The business was profitable within 18 months
and revenues are still growing 5 years later.
And here’s an example from an entry-level graphic designer:
“I think my biggest strength is my ability to work with even the most challenging
clients and make them happy by the end of the process. My boss often puts me
on projects where the client didn’t like the first set of concepts, because she knows
that I can always calm down angry clients and then figure out what they really
want. I don’t know exactly how I figure that out – I guess it’s just a case of really
listening and asking lots of questions. I also check in with them frequently and
let them know it’s OK if they don’t like my first attempt because every failure is a
step towards finding the answer. That stops them getting irate if I’ve totally missed
what they wanted.”
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2. What words are commonly used to describe you?
3. What compliments have you received on performance reviews?
4. When people tell you they admire something about you, what is it?
5. Review all the notes you have written so far. What are the common themes
in your career?
B) Determining the Needs of Your Target Employers
Now it’s time to switch focus and think about the needs of your target audience,
just the way a marketer thinks about the people who might buy her product.
The only reason any employer hires any employee is to make his or her life
better/easier/richer. (Remember the key question all employers have when they
look at a resume: “What’s in it for me?”)
In order to show employers that you can solve their problems or make their
business more successful, you have to understand their needs, issues, and
problems.
Internet job sites are a goldmine of useful information. Go to a few of the major
job search sites and look up postings for positions like the one you want.
Don’t worry about finding jobs in your geographic area because you’re not
ready to apply yet. Just print out 10-15 job postings similar to the ones you
would like to apply for.
Now go through them with a highlighter pen looking for:
What personal traits are employers looking for?
What skills are important?
What specific experience is required?
Anything else the ads have in common.
If you are looking to move to another industry or make a career change, you will
need to be more creative and do extra research.
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Make contacts with people who currently work in that industry. Speak to
recruiters. Read trade magazines and interviews with industry luminaries.
Review financial reports.
As you do your research, patterns will emerge and you will learn what is
important to industry insiders.
C) Match the two together and articulate your
unique promise of value.
Once you’ve assessed your skills, strengths, and career themes, and identified
key concerns of your target employers, you’re ready to put the two together by
creating your personal value proposition.
I have developed a formula that allows anyone to clearly articulate an individual
value proposition, and I want you to use this formula to write your own value
proposition.
The formula is:
“I help (whom?) to (do what?) by (what skills do you use or what strategies do you
employ?)”
For example, mine would be:
“I help job seekers to get more interviews by writing high-impact resumes that
compel employers to take action.”
Here’s one for a marketing executive:
“I help companies increase product sales by focusing on what the consumer wants
and then building all the marketing efforts around that research.
Or:
“I lead successful company turnarounds by hiring exceptional managers and then
letting them do their jobs without micro-managing.”
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Or:
“I help sales teams generate more revenue by handling all administrative duties
smoothly and efficiently, so that they can focus on the customer.”
Or:
“I solve customer problems by always asking myself what I can do to make the
situation better, and by remaining calm and polite no matter how difficult it may
be.”
Now it’s your turn. I want you to articulate your value proposition using this
formula:
“I help (whom?) to (do what?) by (how do you do it?)”
This summary will form the basis of all your career marketing, so take your time
to get it right.
Summary
That’s it. Your resume preparation is done! You have developed the content that
will make up 90% of your resume.
You now have:
A strong sense of the value proposition you need to communicate to
potential employers.
Compelling job descriptions that tell a clear story.
Action-packed accomplishment stories that will form the basis of your
resume bullet points.
Keep all the notes you made, even after your resume is complete. The
work you did will be invaluable in completing your resume, but it will also
serve to help you prepare for interviews.
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ongratulations! You have now done all the necessary work to create
a great resume. You should have lots of notes and now you just
have to condense them all down into a resume that sells you to
prospective employers.
You’re going to do this by developing a resume that communicates exactly how
you will help employers solve their problems or capitalize on their opportunities.
In other words, your new resume will clearly communicate your value
proposition.
In this section, we’ll cover:
1. Choosing a resume template.
2. Writing a strong profile that communicates your value proposition.
3. Writing an action-packed career chronology that gets employers excited
about meeting with you.
4. Writing about your education.
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5. Deciding whether to include technical skills (and where they should go on
the resume).
6. Deciding what other information to include.
7. Saving your resume in different formats.
8. Evaluating the effectiveness of your new resume.
Step 1: Choosing a Template
You can create your resume format from scratch or use one of the templates
included with this guide.
The templates are in the form of actual resumes to help you determine where to
type your own information. DON’T use the wording that’s there to describe you,
even if some of it applies. Type over what’s there with your own words and your
own information.
You are free to type into the templates as they are, use them as inspiration, or
completely restructure them – the key is to develop a resume structure that sells
you and serves to highlight your own key selling points and value proposition.
Don’t be a slave to an existing template if it’s not right for you.
Resume Design Considerations
If you are going to use one of the existing templates without making any
changes to fonts or design, you may want to skip this section and go right Step
2 to get started on your content.
But if you plan to change the structure, fonts, or any other aspect of the
template you’ve chosen, you should read this section before you continue
because there are some important resume design principles you need to
understand.
Design mistakes cost jobs, because they can render your resume unreadable on
many computers. Don’t let this happen to you.
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Overview
At least 50% of the impact of your resume derives from design. A strong resume
design will guide the eye through the document, making it easy to keep reading,
and it will highlight your key strengths clearly.
Because it’s easy on the eye and informative, a nicely designed resume will
receive more than a few seconds’ attention. But if your resume is badly laid out,
disorganized, or hard to read, it will be discarded before the reader knows how
qualified you are.
What Makes a Good Resume Design?
Lots of White Space
The most common resume problem in my experience is a lack of white space.
In their desire to tell everything, people tend to
cram too much information onto the page, with the
result that very little is read.
This is your one chance to impress prospective
employers, so it’s natural to want to tell them
everything about yourself. But you have to think of
your resume as the product “brochure” rather than
the whole catalog. Your goal is to get the reader to
pick up the phone and call you.
You need to showcase only the very best, most appealing information in your
resume –
you can save the rest for the interview. Don’t be tempted to include all the
details of everything you were responsible for, or every impact you ever made.
Just choose the most important information.
How do you decide what’s important? Be guided by:
1. Your value proposition (if it doesn’t support that, don’t include it).
2. Your research into employer needs.
The golden rule when laying out your resume is to remember that you must get
your key points across in 20 seconds or less. Before you design your resume, look at
the resume examples at the end of this guide and notice how the pages have been
laid out.
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Pay careful attention to how white space is used to make the resume easy to
read and to draw the eye to key information. Then apply what you’ve learned to
your resume.
Of course, you can use one of our pre-formatted resume templates to ensure
that your resume looks as good as possible.
Use formatting tricks to draw the eye
When readers first read a resume, they are skimming quickly, looking for key
pieces of information. You can give your resume much more impact just by
making sure they see the information you want them to.
If you look at direct mail pieces, you’ll see that certain words are bolded,
underlined, or italicized. That’s because the copywriter wants to draw your eye
to that information.
I’m not suggesting that you make your resume look like a piece of direct mail,
but I am saying that you can use bolding, italics, white space, lines, and other
formatting tricks to ensure that the reader sees what you want him or her to see.
For example, if you have worked for some very impressive and high profile
companies, bold the names and write them in capital letters. If your job titles are
more impressive, un-bold the company name and bold the title. If you have a
history of quantifiable results, use bolding to draw the eye to numbers.
Keep your value proposition in mind, and use formatting to highlight those
things that help convince employers you are the right choice.
Reviewing all the resumes in this guide will give you lots of ideas how this can
be done.
Font choice and size
Please don’t use a tiny font just to squeeze a bit more information on to the page.
Your font should be easy to read quickly. Don’t just look at it on paper – look at it
on the computer screen too, since that’s how many readers will view your resume
the first time.
Also, be aware that the fonts you have on your computer may not be the same
as the fonts others have on their computers.
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If you send a document to someone who doesn’t have the same font installed,
his computer will substitute an alternate. This can really mess with your
formatting, and can push a two-page resume on to three or four pages, not to
mention just making it look plain ugly.
That’s why it’s critical to stick with commonly used fonts when creating your
resume, so that you can be sure it will look good when you email it to other
people.
Here are the most commonly installed Windows fonts (that are also suitable
for resumes) according to www.codestyle.org. I have shown the percentage of
computers estimated to have this font installed along with the smallest size you
should use for that font in the body of your resume.
Note About Macs
Very few HR people or recruiters use Macs at work – even those who work in
creative environments – but if you use a Mac (as I do) you can use the Windows
fonts listed above, provided you are working within Word for Mac.
Don’t try to create your resume in the Mac program Pages because it will not
translate well across platforms, even when you save your documents with
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the MS Word .doc format. You must work with Word during your job search
because it is the business default system and the one that 99% of resume
recipients will be using.
Don’t Use MS Drawing Objects
MS Word allows you to create lines, boxes, etc. using the drawing toolbar. But
many people don’t know that these objects might not show up when the
resume is emailed.
This is because Word has a number of settings in which users can view
documents. If a user has their MS Word set to display in “Print Layout View,” the
lines and boxes will show on the screen, but if the setting is for “Normal View,”
the lines and boxes will not be there.
Each person has a different preference and therefore you can’t be sure how your
resume will be seen if you use drawing objects or Word Art (a feature that allows
you to create unusual text effects in Word).
Therefore, never use any of the features on the ‘drawing’ tool bar when creating
your resume.
What is the Ideal Resume Length?
There are no hard and fast rules about resume length
and this is always a judgment call. As a rule of thumb,
I generally create one-page resumes for people with
five years (or less) of experience. Almost everyone
else will benefit from two pages, and some senior
executives may need three.
You may have heard that resumes should be only one page long. This is a MYTH.
I don’t know where it came from and it seriously bugs me. Because in all the 15
years that I was involved with hiring as an HR executive, I never once based an
interview decision on whether the resume was one or two pages long. Nor did I
ever have a manager tell me, “Nope. I don’t want to interview Joe Blow because
his resume is two pages long.”
I am assuming that some career coaching company or some writer, somewhere
back in the mists of time, decided to tout this idea as a way to differentiate
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their approach from others on the market. And somehow it worked its way into
popular thought, even though it has no basis in fact.
None.
Here’s the only rule about resume length: Your resume should be as long as
is needed to communicate your true value to an organization, while not
using a word more than is necessary.
A couple of guidelines to that end:
Generally employers are most interested in recent experience and it’s best to
give fewer details as you get further back in the career chronology.
experience.
As always, there is an exception to this rule.
aspect of your value proposition.)
Step 2: Writing a Strong Resume Profile
What is it?
The resume profile is a summary of your skills, experience, and value proposition,
and it usually takes up the first quarter to one third of a resume. Here is an
example:
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STEPHEN J. PETERS
stevepeters@net.net / (212) 555-5555
SENIOR SALES AND MARKETING EXECUTIVE
Business Software Solutions ▪ CRM ▪ Sales Force Automation ▪ Sales Process Consulting
Dynamic, high-performance executive with a proven ability to build and lead top-flight sales teams and an
aggressive drive for results. Broad industry experience with special expertise in sales force automation and
product configuration for client/server, web and hosted CRM products. Consistently proven able to hit the
ground running, inspiring others and producing exceptional results within a short period of time.
Management Strengths Include:



Solutions-Oriented Selling
Revenue and Profit Growth
Contract Negotiations



Consultative Sales Approach
New Market Penetration
Key Account Management



Branding and Positioning
P&L Management
Product Configuration
Entrepreneurial leader known for ability to penetrate new markets, produce impressive
sales results and grow market share and profitability
ESYSTEMS, INC.
The resume profile tells the reader exactly why he or she should hire you. Think
of it as a mini-resume – a summary of your skills, strengths, and experience that
communicates exactly how you will add value.
Why profiles beat objectives every time
It is a much more effective start to the resume than the commonly used
“objective.” This is because an objective is focused on the needs of the job
seeker, whereas resumes that start with a profile are focused on the needs of the
employer.
Remember: No one cares about you right now. They only care about one thing:
Will you make a positive impact on their organization?
These are the questions they’ll be asking themselves:
Will you …
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Add sales?
Help us be more organized?
Ease my workload?
Clear that backlog of papers?
Boost profits?
Grow market share?
Cut costs?
Enhance productivity?
Negotiate better deals?
Improve the quality of our staff?
Help employee morale?
Make clients happy?
Hopefully, your employer will care about your goals once he or she has decided
to hire you, but for now, all he cares about are his business needs – and your
resume introduction must grab his attention by showing that you can meet
those needs.
Why a Strong Profile is Important
I used to read a lot of resumes when I worked in HR. For each vacancy, I would
make several passes through the resumes in my inbox.
On the first go-round, I was looking for those people who met the basic
qualifications as advertised. If I could see that within 20 seconds, the resume
went in the ‘yes’ folder on my computer. If not, it was consigned to the ‘no’
folder, never to be looked at again.
On the second pass, I was reading more closely – maybe for as long as 45
seconds to a minute. Now I was looking to narrow the applications down to a
pool of people worth considering for interview.
Only after that second pass would I stop and carefully review every word of the
remaining resumes to choose 5 to 10 people for interviews.
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So you can see how important it is to quickly and clearly communicate your
value.
If your resume gives the impression that you will make a positive contribution,
you will get interviews. If it doesn’t, you will be passed over. It’s really that
simple. And this is why your resume profile must convey your value proposition
immediately, clearly, and distinctly.
Profile Dos and Don’ts
Write the Profile in Your Words
Please don’t be tempted to copy someone else’s summary section. If it’s not
yours, it just won’t ring true.
The profile is the employer’s introduction to you. It’s his or her first impression. If
it really describes you and what makes you special, you are much more likely to
get interviews with the types of companies where you would fit. Employers are
looking for ‘fit’ as much as they’re looking for skills.
A resume that uses someone else’s words and emphasizes someone else’s
strengths may get you in the door, but it won’t get you the job you really want
in a place that will make you happy.
Write honestly and persuasively about your unique value proposition and you
are MUCH more likely to get interviews with the kinds of companies you want to
work for.
Make Sure Your Profile is Unique
It’s no exaggeration to say that most resume profiles are filled with commonly
used words and clichés.
Take this profile from a resume I received recently:
Accomplished business professional with broad range of experience from human
resource management, consulting and public relations, to export management.
Possess strong entrepreneurial skills and exemplary interpersonal skills; relate
easily at all levels of decision-making process.
It’s well written, professional, and concise. But it’s also bland and boring and
gives me no insight into the person who wrote it.
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It’s filled with what I call “resume-speak” — commonly used phrases that people
believe belong on a resume because they’ve seen them a million times on other
resumes.
Can you spot the culprits? How about “results-oriented” and “accomplished”?
By all means use those words if they go to the heart of who you are. But don’t
use them just because they sound good and you’ve seen other people use
them. Because if that’s the case, your resume will be competing against all the
other “accomplished, results-oriented” salespeople out there, and you will lose
because that’s not who you authentically are.
This idea of authenticity is important for more reasons than you might think.
First, as we have already discussed, identifying your strengths will help you to
create a compelling value proposition for your resume. But there are two other
important benefits:
Attracting the Right Companies
A resume that reflects your own personality, strengths, skills, and values will
generate interviews from the types of companies you want to work for.
For example, if you are not happy in a company that does not want change, you
shouldn’t even waste time interviewing there.
By creating a message centered on your love of change, you can ensure that
your resume strikes a chord with the right kind of companies – and that it
eliminates you from consideration at some other companies.
Use words like ‘change agent’ if that’s you. Talk about your ability to drive
large-scale change, or turn around under-performing departments, or organize
dysfunctional offices.
You will scare the living daylights out of staid, conservative organizations, but
you would be miserable in that type of environment anyway.
Forming the Basis for Interviews
Your resume will often be used as a basis for the interview by busy executives
who haven’t had time to prepare questions. As your interviewer runs from a
meeting to interview you, someone shoves a copy of your resume into her
hand. She knows nothing about you and hasn’t even had time to eat lunch. So
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she shakes your hand, sits down, and quickly scans your resume looking for
interview questions.
If your resume focuses on your strengths, you can be sure that many interview
questions will center on those abilities, thus giving you an opportunity to talk
about your success stories.
Make Your Profile Specific and Focused
Another problem with the profile I cited above is that it’s too broad in its
target. This job seeker wants to appeal to employers with vacancies in PR, HR,
consulting, and export management, but the chances are he will appeal to none
of them.
The fact is that you don’t have everything that every employer is looking for. The
good news is that neither does anyone else. The key to success is to create a
resume that focuses the reader’s attention on your unique selling points and
deflects attention from any areas of weakness.
Focus on the Employer’s Needs
Earlier you made a list of employer concerns/problems. Review that list now to
remind yourself of the employer’s perspective. Your profile should sell your key
skills, but should position them in light of employers’ needs.
How Do You Write Your Profile?
To create your profile, you’re going to follow a four-step process:
1. Create the resume headline.
2. Write a sub-header that communicates your value proposition.
3. Write a paragraph to summarize your strengths.
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4. Highlight your skills in a skills summary.
STEPHEN J. PETERS
5 Davies Avenue, Bronxville, NY 010708
stevepeters@net.net / (212) 555-5555
SENIOR SALES AND MARKETING EXECUTIVE
Business Software Solutions ▪ CRM ▪ Sales Force Automation ▪ Sales Process Consulting
Dynamic, high-performance executive with a proven ability to build and lead top-flight sales teams and an
aggressive drive for results. Broad industry experience with special expertise in sales force automation and
product configuration for client/server, web and hosted CRM products. Consistently proven able to hit the
ground running, inspiring others and producing exceptional results within a short period of time.
Management Strengths Include:
Solutions-Oriented Selling
Revenue and Profit Growth
Contract Negotiations



Consultative Sales Approach
New Market Penetration
Key Account Management



Branding and Positioning
P&L Management
Product Configuration
Entrepreneurial leader known for ability to penetrate new markets, produce impressive
sales results and grow market share and profitability
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
ESYSTEMS, INC.
2003 – PRESENT
Fortune 500 company specializing in transactional processing and business process outsourcing internationally.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Recruited to expand B2B market for hosted version of SalesLogix CRM product. Given full accountability
for planning and executing national sales strategy, identifying and capturing key accounts, and establishing a
competitive market position. Currently report directly to SVP, Sales and Marketing.
Throughout this process you’ll be referring to your notes, so this would be a
good time to print them out so you can refer to them as you work.
Do it!
As you write different sections of your resume, I’ll point you to the notes
you made for specific exercises. For your profile, use your notes from
exercise 4, where you developed your value proposition. You’ll be referring
to these notes as you write this section. (Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten
exercises 1-3 – we’ll get to those as you create the rest of your resume.)
1. Write the Resume Headline
Since the people reading your resume are busy, you’re going to make their
lives a little easier by clearly stating the job title you’d like in the headline of the
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resume (e.g.. “Marketing Vice President” or – if your goals are a little broader – a
more generic heading such as “Senior Finance Executive”). The idea is to quickly
convey your desired position in a few seconds.
Some people are very uncomfortable with this approach as it feels too much like
advertising, but guess what...it is!
This is not the time to be shy or retiring. By putting the job title upfront, you let
overwhelmed recruiters and HR executives know which position you want to
be considered for. Don’t forget, they have many vacancies to fill and if they can’t
understand where you fit in, they won’t take much time trying to figure it out.
Don’t worry about pigeonholing yourself with a title here – you can change this
title for every position. You can have 25 different versions of your resume if you
want! The key is to always send a resume that clearly communicates your fit for
the desired position, and the title is the first place to do this.
2. Write a sub-header that communicates your value proposition
This sub-header is your opportunity to tell the employer exactly what makes you
different from other candidates, and I suggest basing your sub-header on your
value proposition.
When you developed that, you incorporated the needs of employers into your
thinking, so your value proposition is perfect for conveying exactly how you will
help them.
Sub-Header Examples
Let me show you what you are aiming for:
Here is an example for a client who had decided that he wanted to work for
a large international corporation and that he did not want to work in a wellestablished company where nothing was changing – he wanted either a startup, a turnaround, or a rapidly growing company.
INTERNATIONAL FINANCE EXECUTIVE
Consistently improved the financial performance of large multi-national
corporations in the US and Europe. Equally successful in start-up, rapid growth
and turnaround organizations.
This resume will not appeal to small domestic companies looking to stay in
maintenance mode, but that’s OK. My client doesn’t want to interview for jobs
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he won’t enjoy, so he targeted his header and sub-header in order to ensure he
gets calls from only the ‘right’ kind of company.
Here are some more examples from my own resume clients:
VIDEO GAME PROGRAMMER
Math wizard with over 5 years C++ experience and a proven ability to meet tight
deadlines. Creative, tenacious approach to problem-solving has resulted in a
reputation for “always finding a way.”
HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
Track record of success in turnaround environments – equally capable of building
a great HR function from scratch or revitalizing an under-utilized HR team
SENIOR MARKETING & ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE
Successful brand strategist with a proven ability to grow revenues/market share
for diverse clients such as AT&T, Lexus, McDonalds, Reebok and Ford
RECRUITMENT MANAGER
Technical and Professional Recruitment from Entry-Level to Executive
Cuts recruitment costs and improves time-to-fill positions
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
6+ years experience in sales administration. Blends extensive CRM experience with
a reputation for exceptional organization skills
PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR
Build exceptional media relationships – extensive “Rolodex” includes business
writers from all major national newspapers and TV news broadcasts.
Now it’s your turn. Go back to your Exercise 4 notes on your value proposition
and develop an effective sub-heading that will appeal to your target companies.
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3: Write a Paragraph to Describe Your Strengths
Next you are going to summarize your strongest selling points in a short
paragraph designed to provide a quick overview of your skills and your personal
style.
This paragraph follows your headline and sub-header and should be no more
than five or six lines long. It’s important to make it brief because you want
readers to at least skim it for information – a very dense, long paragraph will
ensure that they just skip the whole thing. Not the effect you’re hoping for!
You will find the information you need in your Exercise 4 notes – pay special
attention to the themes of your career and the things other people say about
you.
Examples of Profile Paragraphs:
Here are some examples from resumes I developed.
For an Animation Artist:
Creative artist with a recognized talent for conveying personalities, emotions,
weight, and motion. Collaborates well with others to generate and execute ideas
within tight deadlines. Earned a reputation for dedication, humor, intelligence,
and going “above and beyond” to help teammates.
For a Marketing Director:
Award-winning and tenacious marketer with a rare combination of creative
vision, strategic planning ability and project management skills. Proven ability
to effectively position brands and entertainment properties by utilizing a blend of
intuition and comprehensive market analysis.
Consistently developed and nurtured ‘evergreen’ properties, which have generated
revenue across multiple business units. Controlled marketing budgets of up to $35
million and provided leadership to international cross-functional teams of 40+.
For an entry-level Film Production Assistant:
High-energy professional eager to make a positive contribution to a production
company. Known for willingness to go “over and above,” working long hours
in challenging circumstances to get the job done. Experience includes casting,
production, development, and talent agency work – all while studying full-time
and writing an award-winning screenplay.
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For a Web Developer:
Six Sigma Project Management: 10 years’ experience managing the design,
development and implementation of Web and multimedia solutions. Delivered
98.3% of projects on time and never exceeded a project budget.
Award-Winning Art Direction: Possess experience and formal training in
computer art, which provides a ‘real world’ perspective on interface design and an
ability to manage the creative process effectively.
High-Impact Search Engine Marketing: Drove traffic increases of 1000% and
more by combining search engine optimization with pay-per-click advertising and
paid submission.
Effective Editorial & Content Development: Transformed under-utilized
web site into vibrant, highly regarded community-based site with over 250,000
members.
As I said, it’s important to keep this section as brief as possible, but if you do
need to include a lot of information (as in the last example above), break it up
using spacing, bolding, bullets, and other formatting tricks.
Write your profile paragraph now.
4. Highlight Your Skills in a Skills Summary
After the short descriptive paragraph, it’s a good idea to convey your key skills
in an eye-catching fashion. To do this, I have two favorite approaches — a bullet
point list of skills like this one…
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… or a few selected highlights to illustrate how you used your skills to add value,
as in the next sample.
You can even combine both strategies into one “super-introduction” if that
seems appropriate.
There are no set rules. Rather, the approach you take should be dictated by what
best communicates your strengths and ability to add value.
And remember, you must always stress skills that relate directly to the needs of
your target employers. Leave off skills that, however impressive, do not do this.
This means that you should use your notes from Exercise 4 to compile your skills
list. In this exercise you looked at your own abilities and the needs of your target
employers. Be sure to take those employer needs into consideration when you
decide which skills to highlight.
A Word About Keywords
Many companies now use applicant-tracking systems to store resumes. HR
managers or recruiters search these systems looking for keywords (words that
indicate that a candidate is qualified for the job).
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Some job seekers think this means that they have to add a keyword section to
their resume, but it’s not actually true. Since the system scans for certain words,
it will find them whether you have a special keyword section or not. Even if you
just put the keywords throughout the resume, they can still be found. So, when
you write your resume, it may be appropriate to include keywords in your profile
as a skills listing, but you can also scatter them throughout your resume.
As far as which keywords you should use, that really depends on your industry
and/or field. Your research on job postings and company problems will come in
handy as you decide on keywords. HR managers and recruiters will likely search
resume databases using words that are in the job requirements.
If you’re applying for a specific job, you can amend your resume to include
these words, but if you’re sending out a more general resume to recruiters or
companies, try to incorporate as many commonly used keywords as you can
without distorting the meaning of your resume. (Remember, humans will have
to read it too!)
And never, ever include keywords that don’t apply to you. If you don’t have
the skills, nothing will annoy recruiters more than finding that you’ve added
keywords for them on your resume just to beat the system.
Summary
That’s it. You can come back and tweak this profile once you’ve written the rest
of the resume if you realize something’s missing, but you’ve done the bulk of the
work now.
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Step 3: Writing an Action-Packed Career Chronology
After you have introduced yourself in a strong profile, you need to write your
career chronology or history.
STEPHEN J. PETERS
SENIOR SALES AND MARKETING EXECUTIVE
Business Software Solutions ▪ CRM ▪ Sales Force Automation ▪ Sales Process Consulting



ESYSTEMS, INC.



2003 □ PRESENT
2000 □ 2002
What is it?
This section is where you lay out your career history for employers.
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Why is it Important?
Your reader wants to make sense of who you are by reviewing what you’ve done
in the past. He wants to see how you have added value to other companies so
that he can tell how you might add value to his.
He’s also looking for problems – reasons to eliminate your resume from
consideration. Your job is to tell the story of your career and demonstrate your
ability to add value by showing what you have done for other organizations.
How to write an effective career chronology
In this section, you’re going to use the preparation you did in Exercises 2 and 3
to:
1. List each position.
2. Give brief job descriptions.
3. Write challenge-action-results bullet points.
See below for an illustration of how this will work in the resume.
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STEPHEN J. PETERS
5 Davies Avenue, Bronxville, NY 010708
stevepeters@net.net / (212) 555-5555
SENIOR SALES AND MARKETING EXECUTIVE
Business Software Solutions ▪ CRM ▪ Sales Force Automation ▪ Sales Process Consulting
Dynamic, high-performance executive with a proven ability to build and lead top-flight sales teams and an
aggressive drive for results. Broad industry experience with special expertise in sales force automation and
product configuration for client/server, web and hosted CRM products. Consistently proven able to hit the
ground running, inspiring others and producing exceptional results within a short period of time.
Management Strengths Include:



Solutions-Oriented Selling
Revenue and Profit Growth
Contract Negotiations



Consultative Sales Approach
New Market Penetration
Key Account Management



Branding and Positioning
P&L Management
Product Configuration
Entrepreneurial leader known for ability to penetrate new markets, produce impressive
sales results and grow market share and profitability
1) List each position you’ve heldP R O F E S S I O N A L
EXPERIENCE
2) Write brief job description
ESYSTEMS, INC.
2003 □ PRESENT
Fortune 500 company specializing in transactional processing and business process outsourcing internationally.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Recruited to expand B2B market for hosted version of SalesLogix CRM product. Given full accountability
for planning and executing national sales strategy, identifying and capturing key accounts, and establishing a
competitive market position. Currently report directly to SVP, Sales and Marketing.



Reduced licensing costs by 75% after identifying that pricing issues would hinder a successful market
entry. Renegotiated critical agreement with SalesLogix, thereby positioning the company to compete
favorably with other hosted solutions.
Defined target market and developed comprehensive market positioning, branding, and pricing strategy.
Conceived and managed low-cost marketing campaigns, building strong awareness despite limited
marketing budget. Combined carefully targeted direct mail and email campaigns with educational
executive briefings to effectively position the brand with the target demographic.
I-LEVEL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, INC.
Leading global Microsoft Business Solutions consultancy in the world
Director of eCRM for the Northeast
2000 □ 2002
3) Write C.A.R Bullet Points
Joined i-Level after their acquisition of Prime Technologies and assumed full responsibility for P&L,
marketing, business development and sales for all front-office applications in the Northeast region.
Accountable for annual regional sales target of $8 million. Provided strategic and tactical leadership to team
of eight.




Successfully integrated the Prime team into i-Level culture, maintaining high morale and low employee
turnover during the transition.
Delivered 236% of sales quota in the first year, outperforming every other region in the company.
Created a high-performance, high-reward culture by setting challenging individual sales targets,
monitoring performance and rewarding top-producers.
Achieved platinum (top dealer) status with two major publishers within nine months.
When you’re done, you will have created a compelling story of exactly how you
have helped your previous employers to succeed.
List each position
Begin by listing each position you have held, starting with the most recent
and working backwards. Include company name, town and state, dates of
employment, job title, and a brief description of the company. Here’s an
example:
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ACCLAIM ENTERTAINMENT, New York, NY
International developer of interactive software
2000–2005
Human Resources Manager
what you should bold.
Write your job descriptions
In Exercise 2, you wrote about your previous positions. Now you’re going to use
that information to write a compelling description of each position.
The purpose is to set the stage for your readers. In order to understand your
accomplishments, they need to understand your role within the company and
the situation in which you found yourself.
How to write effective job descriptions
Don’t give too much detail about your job duties. Unless you have a highly
unusual job, you don’t need to explain it in depth. If you’re a CFO, the reader
will pretty much know what you’re accountable for. If you’re an executive
assistant, the same applies. Cost accountants are similar the world over, as are
HR managers.
And knowing what you were responsible for doesn’t actually tell me what you
did. Any parent knows that teenagers don’t clean their rooms just because
they’re responsible for doing so.
However, you do need to give some basic information on job responsibilities
in order to set the stage for your accomplishments. I recommend keeping job
descriptions to no more than four or five lines and spicing them up with another
secret ingredient of professional resume writers ... context.
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You probably know the old real estate cliché that says the three most important
things in real estate are “location, location, location.” In resume writing, I believe
the three most important things are context, context, and context.
In order to really appreciate your achievements, the reader needs context. If a
sales person says that she boosted sales by 10% over the prior year, it’s hard to
know how impressive that is. Perhaps the whole industry was up 10%. Perhaps
her predecessor was so lazy that it took no effort to boost sales by that much.
The accomplishment becomes much more impressive when you find out that
the industry was in a downturn and that several competitors had gone out of
business.
The job description section is the perfect place to include this information.
This is why I asked you about the situation when you took each position:
Because you can use this information to set the scene for your reader.
Examples of effective job descriptions
Let me show you how this works using examples from real resumes. Remember,
never copy the examples I give you – just use them to give you ideas about what
might work for you.
In this resume, the job description provides context and allows the reader to
imagine how this assistant might contribute in any office setting. It also sets the
stage for the bulleted accomplishment that follows:
XYZ Association, Washington DC
Office Manager
Hired to organize busy office of Washington non-profit organization. Established
office procedures, organized 5 volunteers and implemented filing and storage
systems to gain control of three-year backlog of disorganized information.
• Cleared 226 cartons of policy statements, memos and briefings within 3 months.
The accomplishment of clearing 226 cartons within 3 months would be much
less impressive if you didn’t know why the action was necessary.
Without context, your accomplishments float out there, sometimes not making
much sense. But with context, you tell an impressive and compelling story.
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Here are some more examples of job descriptions that provide context for the
accomplishments that follow:
Vice President, Marketing – Theme Parks, 1995 – 2000
Initially hired to transform marketing strategy and build brand equity for underperforming theme park in which the company had invested $400 million. Quickly
assumed additional responsibility for three parks in Asia while also conducting
market research and feasibility analyses for new ventures in France, the UK and
Argentina. Provided direction and guidance to 35 employees in two countries.
In this case, knowing that the park has been struggling and that the company
has invested a lot of money is important, because in fact this job seeker turned
that situation around. When she describes the revenue growth, this contextual
information will emphasize just how impressive it is.
Here’s another example, this time for a Web production manager brought in to
overhaul an unprofitable web site:
GPA media llc, San Francisco, CA (1999 – Present)
Executive Producer, mediabuzz.com
Promoted to this position after former employer acquired GPA. Led team of 10 to
develop content, establish strategic partnerships and find innovative ways to drive
traffic. Turned around this unprofitable site by leveraging existing content from
the annual Media Conference and Media Buzz magazine while also generating
marketing leads for both organizations. Built a site which is now recognized as the
industry leader.
In this case, very little is said about job responsibilities. Instead, the focus is on
setting the scene for the reader so that he/she can appreciate the extent of the
accomplishments to follow.
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Do it!
OK, it’s time to take your notes from Exercise 2 and turn them into concise,
compelling, context-filled job descriptions like the examples above.
Instead of simply listing your responsibilities, weave them into actionoriented job descriptions that help your readers understand exactly what
you faced in each position.
Write challenge-action-results bullet points
Now it’s time for the real meat of your resume – the accomplishment bullet
points that will help readers understand the value you can bring to their
organization by showing them what you’ve done for others.
How to write C.A.R. bullet points
To do this, you’re going to summarize the C.A.R. stories you wrote earlier.
The goal is to include the challenge, action, and result in your bullet points, but
to keep them as brief as possible.
Action-pack your C.A.R. bullet points
Be sure to use lots of action words throughout this section of your resume
because this keeps your resume fast-paced and conveys a sense of movement.
To do this, start all your bullet points with an action verb:
Delivered 10% increase in productivity by …
Solved challenging coding problem …
Reorganized HR filing system …
Transformed disorganized office into …
Boosted sales ...
Changed approach to ...
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Dynamic, high-energy language shows that you are a dynamic, high-energy
person who will come into your new job and start taking action to make things
better.
Look at everything you’ve written and add action verbs wherever possible.
List of Suggested Action Verbs
To help get you started, here is a list of some of my favorite action words:
Revitalized
Increased
Boosted
Revamped
Initiated
Conceived
Designed
Created
Developed
Led
Spearheaded
Transformed
Replaced
Built
Established
Devised
Overhauled
Launched
Generated
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Captured
Cut
Decreased
Saved
Introduced
Stemmed
Restructured
How to write bullet points for team accomplishments
What do you do if some of your accomplishments were achieved as part of a
team?
If you are the leader of the team, you should take credit on your resume. You can
either simply state the accomplishment (for example: “Implemented new 401(k)
plan for company ...” or, to emphasize your role as head of the team, you might
say “Led team that implemented new 401(k) plan ...”)
If you were a member of the team, take credit as a member.
In that case, here are some possible ways to start your bullet points:
Played key role on team that ...
Contributed to ...
Selected as key member of team that ...
Added value to team efforts by ...
You should never take sole credit for something others worked on with you, but
you should also not omit such accomplishments from your resume just because
you don’t know how to address them.
Examples of good accomplishment bullet points:
To demonstrate how to write these effectively, let’s go back to the C.A.R.
examples I gave earlier in the guide.
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First I’ll give you the C.A.R. story and then I’ll give you some possible bullet
points.
Example #1 - Programmer for animation studio
Challenge: Modeling problems could only be identified during the rigging stage,
which delayed production because we had to go back and redo the models.
Action: I developed a tool that enabled modelers to diagnose and correct
modeling problems before rigging.
Result: We reduced expensive charge-backs and improved productivity. Modeling
errors were reduced to almost zero.
Resume Bullet Point:
Improved productivity and cut costs by developing tool that allowed
modelers to diagnose and correct modeling problems before rigging.
Example #2 - Event Planner – not-for-profit
Challenge: Obtain media exposure for small non-profit with limited budget.
Action: Conceived Earth Day partnership with leading health food retailer.
Result: Extensive media coverage, including The New York Times and WABC. As a
result the two organizations formed an ongoing national partnership and as of
the time of writing, fundraising is up just over 8%.
Resume Bullet Point:
Played key role in developing strategic partnership that boosted fundraising
8% and garnered high-profile media coverage for non-profit organization with
limited budget.
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Example #3 - Web Designer
Challenge: Inherited project with unhappy client who had requested a new
designer after several unsuccessful attempts to create a look the client liked.
Action: Spent a whole day with client and his staff getting to know the business
and their customers and understanding their value proposition.
Results: Came up with three new designs, one of which was chosen. Kept the client,
who has since referred two other projects worth more than $22,000 in additional
business for the company.
Resume Bullet Point:
Turned unhappy client into satisfied customer, and garnered additional
$22K in sales, by gaining full understanding of business objectives and value
proposition before suggesting design concepts.
Example #4 – Office Manager
Challenge: Brought in to work for three sales executives who had been without an
assistant for more than a year. The office was a nightmare!
Actions: Went through mountains of files and paperwork and met with each
executive to find out their needs. Established filing systems, sets up a database
and calendar system and made sure all client communication was funneled
through me.
Results: Within three months had all the files cleared away and the database built.
Managers were able to be much more productive and their sales results increased
by 15% during the first year.
Resume Bullet Point:
Boosted productivity and played key role in 15% sales increase by organizing
dysfunctional sales office, thus allowing sales executives to focus on client
calls.
The key is to incorporate as much quantifiable information as possible into as
few words as you can while still making your point. (Review the resume samples
at the end of this guide for more examples of C.A.R. bullet points.)
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Do it!
Using your C.A.R. stories from Exercise 3, write 4-6 bullet points for each of
your more recent positions.
Employers are much more interested in recent experience, so you can write
less about positions you held more than 8 years ago unless they relate in
a very important way to something you want to do now. Therefore, you
need only two or three bullet points for positions further in your past.
Step 4: Writing About Your Education
I am not going to spend much time detailing how to format your education
information on the resume because you will see various ways to approach this
in the sample resumes. But I would like to address two of the most common
questions about education.
Where should education go on the resume?
If you are a recent graduate:
You have very little work experience and your education is probably a key selling
point, so this information should be up front – where it can’t be missed.
Remember that we’re always approaching resume writing from the employer’s
perspective and trying to show her why she should hire you instead of anyone
else. This means that if you don’t have much work experience, you may want
to detail your classes and any other school achievements that can help show
employers why they should consider you.
Recent graduates should include grade point average if it’s above 3.5. If not,
leave it off.
Here is an example of a resume for a recent graduate:
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CREATIVE TENACIOUS ORIGINAL INSPIRED INNOVATIVE
PHILBREHMEN
PROFILE
Entrepreneurial, high-energy marketer with an innate ability to develop new and creative ideas. Proven track
record of creating media “buzz” and generating free publicity /advertising using guerrilla marketing combined with
persistence and outstanding communication skills. Conceptual wizard with a gift for exciting marketing and PR
campaigns that get results.
Guerilla Tactics … Sponsorship Development ….Brand Experiences … Buzz Creation … Permission
Marketing … Street Teams … Lifestyle Campaigns … Grassroots Promotions … Viral Marketing
Public and Media Relations ... Internet Marketing ... Collateral/Ad Design ... Event Planning and Management
EDUCATION
BA, Communication with Marketing Emphasis, New York University, New York, NY | May 2004
Dean’s List ▪ Student Council ▪ President, Class of 2004 ▪ President, Communication Club
Computer skills include MAC/PC, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, digital photography, advanced internet skills.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
VH1, New York, NY, Talent Assistant | Winter 2003 - Present
Perform a wide range of duties including assisting visiting celebrity talent, maintaining affiliate station lists, ensuring
contracts and legal documents are complete, logging and transcribing interviews, writing stories for the daily prep
and assembling daily entertainment news reports. Work closely with artist management and publicists. Assisted at
the Radio Forum during the 2004 Grammy Awards.
Tactile Records, New York, NY, A&R/Marketing Assistant | Winter 2003 – Spring 2004
Solicit and review demos. Conceptualize and implement guerilla internet marketing campaigns, conduct market
research, assemble press kits and manage general office logistics.
Media Blitz Entertainment, New York, NY, Marketing & Promotional Assistant | 2002 – 2004
Developed marketing and promotional strategies for MCA recording artist July for Kings. Consulted on image,
instituted innovative promotions, aggressively targeted radio stations, solicited and secured TV and print interviews
and placed the band on various music web sites and other media outlets. Managed all aspects of the band’s Las
Vegas appearances.
Juicy Records, White Plains, NY, A & R/Marketing Intern | Summer 2003
Solicited, screened and reviewed demos. Assembled press kits, created marketing plans, photographed artists,
attended live showcases to scout for prospective talent and handled general office logistics.
AWARDS AND HONORS
Frank Jacobs Memorial Prize for “unusual tenacity in pursuit of a goal”
Vermont Spirit of Community Awards, Bronze Medalist – selected from over 35,000 entrants
If you’re not a recent graduate:
Information about your education belongs at the bottom of your resume, and
details of GPA, classes taken, etc. should not be included. This is because you’ve
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been at work long enough that employers will be much more interested in your
work contributions.
If you have an extraordinary educational achievement, hold an MBA or attended
a very prestigious school, you can include that information in your profile. For
example:
“Graduated first in class at Harvard Business School”
or:
“Hold MBA from Wharton Business School”
There is no need to bring your whole educational summary onto the first page
just to communicate that you have an MBA or are highly intelligent.
One exception is for people in professions where education is of primary
importance, such as college professors or scientists. But these people should be
using a CV – not a resume – and this guide is not aimed at those professions.
What if I don’t have a degree?
If you don’t have a college degree, you may still be able to include an education
section. You should never lie about your education on your resume, but you can
certainly spin the situation as positively as possible.
If you attended college but didn’t finish:
In this case you can still take credit for the time you did attend. Include the
name of the program, the college, and the dates attended.
For example:
BA Program, Boston University (1984-1986)
If you didn’t attend college but have taken professional courses:
In this case, you can include a list of professional development programs.
Instead of calling this section “Education,” you can call it “Professional
Development.”
Here’s an example of such a list:
Finance for the Non-financial Manager – AMA (2003)
Advanced Team Leadership – IBM Training Program (2002)
Consultative Selling – The Sales Institute (2000)
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If you haven’t attended professional training classes:
In this case, you can’t add a section related to education, but you still need to
close your resume with another section following the chronology. If you don’t
do this, readers won’t be sure they have reached the end of your resume.
The following pages detail some options for additional information such as
technical/computer skills, professional affiliations, or community work. Another
option is to simply close your resume with the statement “References available
on request.” This should be centered on the page. (I don’t normally recommend
this statement as it’s not really necessary, but in this case, it is an effective way to
notify the reader that the resume has ended.)
Step 5: Should You Include Technical Skills?
Technical skills are those hard skills that are required for your line of work.
Examples are:
Software used by people in your function (e.g., an accountant should list
financial software).
Equipment commonly used in your field (e.g., computer hardware for a PC
technician).
Skills needed to do your job (e.g., programming languages for a software
engineer).
There are no hard and fast rules about whether and where to include this
information on your resume, but you should always be guided by the following:
Include technical skills only if they will help people decide whether or not
to hire you, and place them on the resume in direct proportion to their
importance to the hiring decision. For example:
If you are in a technology profession (such as computer programmer, IT
manager, PC technician, or 3D animator), your technical skills are absolutely
essential to the decision about whether to hire you. Therefore you should
highlight them in a clearly marked section on page one of your resume.
Place a section called “Technical Skills” below the profile and before you start
the career chronology. Examples follow.
The same also applies if your technical skills are a very important aspect of
your ability to do your job, even though you are not primarily in a technical
role. (An example would be a graphic designer’s knowledge of Quark or
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Photoshop, or a payroll manager’s knowledge of the ADP web-based payroll
system.)
Senior executives who do not do hands-on work should generally avoid
listing technical skills. In this case, such a list can make you appear more
junior than you really are. The point of a technical skills listing is to show
employers that you will be able to do the work required. If you are an IT
executive, your knowledge of a now-defunct programming language won’t
help sell you for the job. Employers will be much more interested in your
project management and cost-control skills.
Non-executives whose computer skills are useful but not a primary reason for
hire should list them at the end of the resume, after career chronology.
makes you look outdated.
Here are a couple of resume examples that feature technical skills up front:
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PROJECT/PROGRAM MANAGER
Driving productivity, revenues and profits through improved systems and processes
MBA from Wharton Business School and PMI Certification



End-to-End Program Management



Project Strategy

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
Software Application Design
Languages:
Scripting Languages:
Application Servers:
Web Servers:
Operating Systems:
Other:
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Paula Heaton
VIDEO GAME ARTIST
“I work to evoke emotion and I strive for perfection, but I also know that
it takes more than artistic vision to make a great game. I’m very
dedicated and I do whatever it takes to get the job done.”
professional experience
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Step 6: Including Additional Information
As you review the samples at the end of this guide, you will see many other
types of information included at the end of the resumes. For example:
Military experience.
Publications.
Professional development classes.
Speaking engagements.
Voluntary and community work.
Professional affiliations.
Board memberships.
Hobbies.
When deciding what to include, you should ask yourself two questions:
Question 1. Does this piece of information help
employers decide that they should interview me?
I very rarely include personal hobbies because they do not generally make any
difference to your ability to do your job, but I might make an exception if the
hobby directly relates to the position being sought. For example, if you are an
avid fisherman and you’re applying for a job at a company that makes fishing
tackle, it makes sense to mention your passion for fishing.
Hobbies can also be an important inclusion if they demonstrate a desirable
personal characteristic. For example, a 60-year old who ran his first-ever
marathon for charity after training for a whole year might include his hobby
of marathon running to show persistence and also to counteract possible age
discrimination based on concerns about health.
Question 2. Could this information make an employer
decide not to interview me for personal reasons?
An obvious “no-no” would be your college prize for Beer Drinker of the Year! But
two taboos just as damaging – and yet frequently mentioned on resumes – are
politics and religion.
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Don’t mention political activities, even if you don’t mention the party you
worked for. This is because it’s an obvious interview question and in our
polarized society, you have a 50% chance of giving the ‘wrong’ answer when
asked, “Which party did you work for?”
Don’t mention religious activities for the same reason. People have all kind
of biases and prejudices for and against religion. (And for and against specific
religions.) Why risk alienating someone by mentioning your church?
You may think that you don’t want to work for a company that would
discriminate based on political affiliation or religion, and I can understand that.
But the company isn’t discriminating. One person is. One random person who
has been assigned to screen resumes and who may or may not have prejudices.
Obviously, if you are applying for a job with a religious-based organization – or
with a political party – you should ignore everything I just said and pin your
colors proudly to the mast!
One other note – never include a photograph or personal information such as
age, birthplace, or ethnic background. While it is common in some countries to
include this information on your resume, it is detrimental to your job search in
the US.
That’s because employers are forbidden from discriminating during the hiring
process. Therefore, they do not want to know personal details that could result
in an accusation of bias down the road.
Optional Extras to Spice Up Your Resume
If you’re feeling creative, consider these ideas for further setting yourself apart in
your resume.
Include a “Philosophy” section
The idea behind a philosophy section is to allow you to get around the formal
conventions of resume writing and let people see your personal style by
including a belief statement in your own voice.
Here’s an example:
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I generally place the philosophy right below the profile and before we get to the
career chronology.
While I think it’s a very effective tool, I would caution you to be very careful
that your quote is professional and is focused on meeting the needs of your
employer.
This use of the personal voice is particularly effective for entry-level employees
who need to find a way to convey their enthusiasm to make up for a lack of
experience, or for those in professions where sales skills are valued.
It is not effective for very conservative professions, industries, or companies
where it may be construed as boastful or too non-conformist.
Include endorsements from third parties
An alternative to a philosophy section is an endorsements section.
In an endorsements section, you include selected positive comments from
others. You can take them from reference letters, performance reviews, or client
thank-you letters.
Just as with product endorsement, third-party testimonials can be highly
effective because they provide a non-biased confirmation that you are as great
as your resume claims!
You can intersperse quotes throughout the resume, use one or two in the profile,
or create a section especially for these quotes.
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The most effective quotes are ones that address some of the needs or concerns
of potential employers. So, if you are applying for a job where the posting
stresses the need to be able to provide exceptional customer service, you
should choose quotes that prove your ability to do this.
Here is an example. In this case the testimonials were used because my client
was seeking to return to the workforce after a long absence and we needed to
overcome any objections. The positive quotes are designed to let the reader
know just how good my client was when she did this job in the past.
Finishing Up Your Resume
OK. You are almost done! You’ve created compelling content that communicates
your value proposition, and you’ve put it all together in an attractive design that’s
easy to read.
You’ve done such a great job – and yet many people let it all fall apart at this
stage because they don’t proofread the resume thoroughly, or because they
don’t save the resume in the right file formats.
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That’s not going to happen to you!
Check, Check, and Check Again!
Your resume has to be perfect. If even one word is misspelled, the reader will
assume that you didn’t know how to spell the word (this is bad) or that you
didn’t care (this is even worse!). Nothing puts the reader off more quickly than
misspellings or typos, so proofread it over and over again.
Then set it aside for at least a day and proofread it again.
When you are sure it’s perfect, have other people proof it!
Step 7: Saving Your Resume:
File Formats and Other Information
MS Word version
You have to have a resume in MS Word. You may also send a copy in other
formats and I’ll talk about that shortly, but Word is the most commonly used
word processing software and Word users won’t be able to open your document
if you create it in WordPerfect or another application.
If you don’t have Word, either buy a copy or use a friend’s computer to create your
resume.
Remember recruiters when you name your file
Many recruiters will save the resumes they like into a special file for later review.
Help them out by naming your resume effectively.
“Resume34.doc” isn’t very helpful to a recruiter looking back wondering why
they saved a specific file on their hard drive, but “Resume-LastName-JobTitle” is
very good!
E-mailing and posting online
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You should never post your resume online if your search is confidential. Word
can get back to your current employer very quickly once your resume is in
cyberspace. (Some companies even search the web regularly to find resumes
that include their own company name so that they can tell who is trying to
leave!)
But, if you are unemployed, or have been open with your employer about your
desire to leave, posting online is worthwhile. Recruiters and HR departments
do search resume databases regularly and – provided you post your resume
correctly – you should generate at least a few calls this way.
If you do decide to post online, you should make sure your resume is featured
on both niche sites and the mass job boards such as Monster.com. Recruiters
often bypass the larger job boards in favor of specialty sites.
Some key tips for posting your resume:
Always convert your resume to a text-only file; otherwise it won’t read
properly when posted online. You can do this by simply saving it as a textonly file and then going through it to remove any special formatting. Open
the resume in your word processing program and “save as” plain text (in
MS Word, select File > Save As > Save as Type, choose “Plain Text” or “Text
Only”). You may then get a prompt stating that your document “may contain
features that are not compatible with text only format.” Choose “Yes.” Then
do any clean-up necessary.
Change bullets to asterisks or dashes.
If columns or tables were used in the original document, make sure the text is
coherent.
Review the heading to ensure that the address, phone number(s), and email
address are placed in a logical sequence.
dashes or asterisks.
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PDF files
As I already mentioned, MS Word files don’t travel very well unless you are very
careful about font choice, and even then you can’t be sure that the recipient will
see exactly what you see because you don’t know what settings each individual
user will have.
PDF files solve this problem. The initials stand for Portable Document Format.
PDFs capture all the elements of a printed document as an electronic image.
You can’t edit the document, but you can be sure that it will always look the
same no matter what computer it is viewed on.
PDFs are especially good for people like designers, who really need to show
their design skills on their resume, but everyone can benefit from having a Word,
PDF, and text-only version of their resume.
To create a PDF if you use a Windows computer, you will need a PDF converter
such as Adobe Acrobat. Mac users can create PDFs without buying an extra
program – simply choose to print your document as a PDF.
Step 8: Resume Assessment
Once you’ve reworked your resume, it’s time to evaluate how you’re doing. Use
these questions to assess your progress – and be honest. You must be truthful
with yourself about how well you have done, because if you cheat on a couple
of questions, you are only cheating yourself.
1. Does your resume lead with an introduction that clearly announces who
you are and what you do? (e.g., sales executive, marketing manager.) Would
a complete stranger be able to tell whether you fit the position within 20
seconds? _____
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2. Do you provide a clear employment chronology, starting with most recent
job first? ____
3. Are your job descriptions short and concise, and do they provide context for
the reader by showing the challenges you faced when you were hired? ____
4. Have you provided quantifiable evidence of your impact on your employers?
(How you have increased revenues or profits, cut costs, boosted productivity,
etc.) ____
5. Have you provided information on challenges faced, actions taken, and
results achieved? ____
6. Would a complete stranger be able to look at your resume and see that you
have a track record of solving the type of problems they are faced with? (Do
you know what those problems are?) ____
7. Are you ‘wowed’ when you look at your resume? ____
8. Are you receiving call-backs and getting interviews for the type of positions
you seek? (If the answer is “yes,” then you definitely don’t need professional
help!) ____
If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” you still have work to do.
Adapting Your Resume
Overview
Throughout this guide I have emphasized the need to answer the concerns of
potential employers by targeting your resume to their needs.
Sometimes, this means you need to develop additional versions of your resume
to address different situations. I cover more about adapting your resume
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effectively in The Blue Sky Guide to Job Search, but here
is a summary for those of you who have not read that
guide.
exaggerate
When should you adapt your resume?
Different career directions
If you have a varied background and would consider
several different career directions, you will need to create a resume for each
situation.
For example, if you have large company experience and also start-up experience,
you may wish to create two versions of your resume – one in which your resume
header emphasizes your ability to work well in a large company and one in
which it focuses on your start-up experience.
When applying for specific positions
Even if you have only one resume, you may decide to tweak it when applying for
specific positions.
For example, if you are a sales rep and want to apply for a job as a business
development associate, why not change the title of your resume to ‘business
development associate’? If you’re an executive assistant, but want to apply for
a general administrative role, change the title to ‘administrative assistant’ or
‘administrative professional.’
There is nothing dishonest in this – you are simply letting the busy HR manager
know which position you want.
How to adapt your resume effectively
When in doubt, carefully review the job description, looking for clues as to the
company’s concerns and/or opportunities. Highlight keywords from the posting
and then go through your resume to see if they are included. If not, and you
have the skills in question, reword to include them.
You can make changes to your profile, job descriptions, and even your
accomplishment bullet points to ensure that the reader knows you have the
skills she is looking for.
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Always be truthful when you adapt your resume. Include skills and
experiences that you have, but never lie or exaggerate. It’s not worth the risk of
being found out and, in the worst case, you might actually get a job you’re not
qualified for.
Resumes for Career Changers
I am often asked how to write resumes for career change, and my answer
is always that it’s the same as writing any other resume. You have to show
potential employers why they should hire you
over someone else. You have to understand
their needs and then communicate your value
proposition.
Of course it’s much more challenging when you
don’t have the actual experience the employer
is looking for. That’s why a resume is rarely
the sole solution to making a successful career
change. Job search strategy is also critically
important.
Most career-changers face the same challenge – getting interviews when they
don’t have relevant experience. It is true that few companies will hire you as a
graphic artist if you simply send them a resume outlining your 15-year career in
tax accounting. Even the best resume cannot hide the fact that your previous
experience has not qualified you for the position you seek.
The good news is that there are ways to gain entry into your chosen profession.
As Nicholas Lore explains in his exceptional career change guide, The Pathfinder:
“You gain admittance into any group, social or professional, by creating
agreement.” In other words, people are accepted because other people agree
they belong. Agreement is developed through the things we say, the way we act,
the knowledge we have, etc.
If an unpublished writer tells people, “I hope to be a writer some day,” she has
already made it clear that she does not consider herself a writer. Others will
agree with her categorization and accept that she is not a writer. But if she
writes every day, submits short stories to small publications, attends writer’s
conferences, and volunteers to write free articles for websites and local
newspapers, she is now beginning to create agreement that she is indeed a
writer.
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The goal is to become your new profession. Don’t wait until someone hires
you before you think of yourself as a video game programmer. Start to think of
yourself that way now. Begin gathering the knowledge and experience you will
need. Surf websites and chat rooms. Talk to other programmers. Read guides.
Practice. And most importantly, begin to build a body of work.
As a resume consultant, I have worked with many professionals who took this
route and were able to transition into new professions.
Take Jeff. A nurse by profession, Jeff was also a talented musician. He wanted
to get into TV, writing soundtracks and creating sound effects, but he had little
success when he first sent out his resume.
Eventually, a friend suggested that Jeff take a different approach. Instead of
sending in his resume, he created a demo reel of music he had written for
famous TV shows. In each case, he replaced the existing soundtrack with his
own music.
Then he started to network his way into the industry, attending conferences
and trade shows and meeting as many people as possible. He subscribed to
industry newsletters and kept up-to-date with new technologies and industry
developments. He created a website to showcase his music and sent industry
executives sales-oriented emails including a link to his site.
He received several calls praising his creative approach although no immediate
job offers. Once a month, he stayed in touch with his network of contacts by
sending an email with a snippet of new music attached as an MP3 file.
After four months, Jeff was called in to interview for a position as an entry-level
sound engineer. The call came from someone Jeff had met a year earlier at a
trade show.
Jeff’s success was well deserved. He took a proactive approach to his career
change and dedicated much of his spare time to demonstrating his skills. By the
time he was hired, he already thought and spoke and acted as if he belonged.
This story highlights the following keys to success for career-changers:
1. Get started. Don’t wait for someone to pay you to be what you want to be.
Just do it! If your dream job is in some way creative, you can develop a portfolio
by working alone or volunteering to help people for free. If you want to prove
you can design logos, for example, volunteer to redesign the logo for your
friend’s small business. Or simply redesign some existing corporate logos for
demonstration purposes.
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2. Learn everything you can. Read guides, join associations, go to education
events and trade shows. Read newsletters. Visit industry web sites and chat
rooms. Learn the language and jargon of the industry you want to enter. Stay
up-to-date with the newest trends and technologies. Understand the history
of the industry in depth. Become an expert.
3. Make contacts. Build a network of influential people within the field you
want to enter. Find creative ways to approach them and maintain the
connection once it is made. One client actually approached one of the top
names in her field and offered her assistance as a secretary in exchange for
being able to attend meetings with him. He said yes! Offer to write an article
for a trade magazine or website. Choose a topic which will provide you with
a reason to contact key people within the industry.
4. Find Creative Approaches. Do not rely on the standard resume and cover
letter. This will almost always fail when you are trying to make a shift to a
new career. Most employers are trained to read resumes to identify how your
past experience matches with their current needs. You need to approach
executives in a completely new and different way – showing what you can
do rather than what you have done. Be creative!
If you follow the steps outlined above, you will be successful in making your
career change. But your move into your new industry will not come via job
advertisements or postings or from posting your resume online. Instead, it will
come with time and commitment, as a result of the marketing you have done and
the network you have built.
A Word About Using Functional Resumes – Don’t!
Some career-changers attempt to get around their lack of relevant experience
by creating what’s called a ‘functional resume.’
Functional resumes are structured very differently than any of the resumes
featured in this guide. Instead of placing emphasis on career chronology, the
functional resume stresses skills and areas of expertise. Instead of listing each
position, then providing a job description and then some C.A.R. bullet points,
a functional resume lists skills (e.g., software development, administration,
marketing, etc.) and then has C.A.R. bullet points underneath those skills. The
career chronology comes at the end of the resume and is presented as a simple
list of jobs with no details provided.
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For many years, some career coaches have advised this structure as a way of
drawing attention away from a lack of relevant experience and making sure the
reader focuses on your skills rather than your experience.
The only problem with this is that it’s nonsense!
It doesn’t work. Every HR Manager and every
recruiter has seen thousands of these things, and
they know exactly why the functional structure is
being used.
simply don’t work.
So instead of being wowed by the obvious match
between you and the open position, they are
thinking, “What is this person trying to hide?” If they’re not too busy, they may
even skim your resume, trying to find out what’s wrong with you (obviously, this
was not the desired effect), but if it’s a busy day, they’ll just throw your resume on
the ‘no’ pile.
There is almost always a better way than a functional structure. And if there isn’t,
it’s because you really don’t have the experience needed for the job, in which
case you need to go get that experience (perhaps by volunteering or taking a
part-time job) because nothing you do with your resume will fool people that
you have what it takes if you don’t.
If you have a challenging situation and are concerned about presenting your
skills in the best light, study all the samples provided in this guide. Go to the
library and review sample resumes in other guides. Be creative. Find any way to
present your skills other than a functional resume.
Now What?
Keeping Your Resume Updated
I’m sure you’ll agree this was a lot of work. It’s challenging to remember
everything you were responsible for and everything you contributed in each of
your jobs.
You can make sure it’s not as challenging next time by keeping running notes
on your C.A.R. stories as they happen. Keep a computer file or a notebook
dedicated to tracking your accomplishments.
If you write your notes using the C.A.R. formula, writing your next resume will
be a piece of cake.
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In Summary
Almost everyone embarks on a job search using an inadequate resume, and this
gives you a fabulous opportunity to set yourself apart. All you have to do is write
a resume that truly represents who you are and what you have to offer.
In this guide, we’ve covered how to approach resume writing just like any
other marketing exercise. You’ve learned how to identifying your target
audience, understand their needs, and describe why your unique blend of skills,
experiences, and character traits will enable you to make a valuable contribution.
I know you’ll start to see the results very soon, and I hope the skills you’ve
learned will serve you well throughout your career. Good luck!
Don’t forget to review Module 5 to see 20 resume samples that may inspire your own
writing.
You might also like ...
If you found this guide helpful, check out the others in the series:
The Blue Sky Guide to Job Search
Discover how to find – and win – the best jobs, often before anyone else knows
about them! We’ll walk you step-by-step through eye-opening strategies that
help you bypass job boards and uncover hidden opportunities.
The Blue Sky Guide to LinkedIn
Did you know LinkedIn is the #1 business networking site in the world? With this
guide, you’ll learn how to use it to increase your visibility, find the best jobs, and
learn what businesses want, before the interview.
The Blue Sky Guide to Job Search Letters
Learn how to write a cover letter, thank you note, or email that gets results! With
detailed instructions and tons of real-world examples, I’ll show you exactly how
to write letters that make a great first impression.
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THE BLUE Sk Y GUIDE TO RESUME WRITING
Need Professional Help?
If you’d like us to write your resume for you, just give us a call at 914-595-1905 or
email info@blueskyresumes.com.
Send us proof of purchase, and we’ll gladly discount our price by the amount
you already paid for this guide. Not a bad deal, huh?
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THE BLUE Sk Y GUIDE TO RESUME WRITING
T
he following sample resumes are provided to help you visualize
how some of the techniques can be put into practice. Each of these
samples is based on the resume of a real person, but all names and
identifying details have been removed for confidentiality purposes.
Each sample is available to you as an MS Word template in the package of
templates that came with this guide. You are entitled to use the layouts for
yourself as part of your purchase of the guide but please do not copy wording.
As I hope you know by now, if the words are not authentically you, they won’t
be effective.
Full-size versions of the following samples are also available for download in
both PDF and Word format at http://www.blueskyresumes.com/thanks/guideresume-writing-24qlb.
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3 Bentley Place, # 26
New York, NY 55555
C: 555-555-5555
monavinar@jupiter.com
AWARD-WINNING ANIMATION DIRECTOR
Video

Film

Television
Senior Director whose work has been widely recognized and honored. Proven track record of leading studio
teams to produce innovative animation in a variety of media. Combines a visionary creative philosophy with
outstanding technical skills, strong leadership abilities and a true passion for animation excellence. Managed
teams of up to 120 and controlled multimillion dollar budgets.
“Mona is a rare find because she has strong technical knowledge combined with exceptional people
skills. This allows her to keep everyone upbeat during a project while still getting excellent results.”
Michael Barrett, Former Production Executive, Dreamworks
Animation Director for full length animated feature which won the 2004 Silver Jewel award for Best
Children’s Film. Variety Magazine said “the animation is truly dazzling.”
Conceived, wrote and directed animated short film which was honored at the LA Children’s Film
Festival and the New York Animation Film Festival.
Director of Animation for home video which was the recipient of 6 awards including the New York
Film Board Award of Excellence and selection as 2006 International Animation Festival Winner.
Animation Manager (2001 – 2004)
Senior Animator (1999 – 2001)
Advanced rapidly to the position of Animation Director with responsibility for creative design direction
including story and script, talent casting, visual concept, character development and camera layout.
Directed The Moose and the Sparrow which remained on Billboard’s top ten movie list for 7 weeks
and garnered critical acclaim from Variety, Hollywood Reporter, LA Times and Animation magazine.
Animation Director for The Spider Makes a Friend, winner of 6 awards including Animator’s World
Award of Excellence and 1999 Silver Telly award for exceptional children’s entertainment.
Animation Supervisor for 1995 television special The Boy Who Loved Christmas which has aired
annually for the last nine years.
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Mona Vinar – Page 2
PIXEN, INC
Hired to transition the company from 2D to 3D animation. Responsible for character modeling and
animation on three full-length video productions and one six-part TV series.
Developed animation style and guidelines for company and provided guidance to other Pixen
studios on 3D animation tools and techniques.
Selected as Lead Animator on Two Small Pigs which was widely recognized for its technical
innovation.
Graphic Artist/Animator
Ran consulting firm which provided graphic design services, animation, 3D modeling and rendering to
a diverse client base including ADF Corporation, Sinarden Films and Hegler-Drew Advertising.
Built company to revenues of $1M within two years before selling the business to XYZ graphic
design.
Instructor of classes in 3D Max and Character Animation at New York University (1999 – Present)
Travel the country as a featured speaker lecturing on the art of creating successful animation. Highlights
include:
Featured Speaker at Signet Design Conference, 2007
Key Note Speaker at the Chicago Children’s Film Festival, 2006
Featured Speaker at Wave3, 2004
Panelist at the 2002 European Animation Festival (Character Development.)
BA, Computer Graphics & Animation - UCLA ( 1999 )
Member, IFA (Association of International Film Animation) New York Chapter
Technical Skills: Photoshop, Maya, 3DS Max, Soft Image, Final Draft
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Beth Hamerin
555-555-5555 / beth@bethhamerin834.com
Animation  3D Art  Illustration
10 years of fast paced, high energy, multi-platform studio experience.
Classically trained animator in both cel and high-end 3D animations.
In-depth understanding of Adobe Flash and strong knowledge of ActionScripting.
Versatile skill set drawing from traditional and technical disciplines.
Art Skills:
Cel & 3D Character Animation; 3D Modeling; ActionScripting; Storyboard Art; Illustration; Logo
Design; Web Graphics; Compositing; Video Editing; Sound Editing; File Optimization.
Software Skills:
Animation:
Special Effects:
Adobe Flash, Maxon Cinema 4D, Autodesk Maya
Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere
Illustration:
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Alias Sketchbook Pro
Sound:
Optimization:
Freeverse Sound Studio 3
Autodesk Cleaner
ERW NETWORK
Online Animator/Illustrator (2004–2009)
2000–2009
Promoted as a result of success in prior role and given sole responsibility for character animations and
motion graphics for main website and 11 sub-sites. Also created animations, motion design and
illustration for on-air programming and mobile media. Gained extensive experience in Flash using
both timeline-based animations and ActionScripting. As senior team member, mentored and trained
other design studio employees and played a key role in the development of new concepts.
Selected accomplishments and assignments:
Designed and created original 3D assets for the ERW Network website around the site’s
central character ‘Sue,’ saving money by keeping production in-house.
Created original animations for The Celebration which has generated over 13 million registered
accounts to date.
Worked closely with division to create high quality animated wallpapers for download via mobile
phones. Worked successfully within tight file-size restrictions, thus pushing the network’s
branding into the mobile market.
Designed numerous special effects, including photo-realistic animated ‘ooze’ that is currently
under consideration for a Webby Award.
Created animation for the game THR, showcased at the Uni conference in New York (2007).
5401 68th Street, Lubbock, TX 79424
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Beth Hamerin
Page 2
Animation  3D Art  Illustration
Assistant Animator (2000–2004)
Recruited by former colleague and charged with assisting on production of assets for new online
trading card game Clowns. Also assisted with animations, motions designs and illustrations for on- air
programming (ERW Network).
Played a key role in making the game Clowns one of the most successful in the company’s
history by devising streamlined, efficient process for weekly updates.
Created and animated multiple assets for new FunnyMan website feature including food items
and toys. Repurposed assets from the TV show and created a stock library that was later used
for the larger game FunnyTown, saving time and resources for design team.
Developed animations for Handball which was ultimately expanded to become GameWars
2009 and was recently made available for download in the App Store for iPhone.
PRY, INC.
Freelance Animator
1999–2000
Joined this broadcast design and animation company as an intern before earning a full-time role
assisting senior animators, and then offered a freelance position. Created compelling animations, inks,
and illustrations.
Selected for the company’s first-ever internship, earned promotion and finally recruited to
ERW Network by former employee, all as a result of exceptional work ethic and standards.
Served as Production Assistant on pilot TV show Breakfast with the Bonnies.
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Electronic Arts/Animation
New York University, NY (2000)
Dean’s List – Fall 1998 and Spring 1999
Additional Training:
Lydia.com Maya 2009 essentials training (2008)
Lydia.com Cinema 4D essentials training (2007)
Flash ActionScripting 3.0 at SUO Company (2007)
Mastering the Adobe Creative Suite 3 Cobb Galleria Centre (2006)
FlashDrive Conference (2006 and 2005)
Foundations of ActionScript at FennyFeatherWeather (2005)
Teaching:
Served as alternate instructor at the Alpine College of Art and VIJ Continental University for
introductory traditional animation classes (2000-2001).
Recently selected as a mentor for the University Center’s feature film project Karma, which
will help students gain valuable animation experience (2009).
5401 68th Street, Lubbock, TX 79424
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Danny Elfenberg
Music Industry Professional
ABOUT ME
Experienced professional who is passionate about all kinds of music, committed to learning
new skills and thrives in a fast-paced environment.
Hard worker who often pulled double shifts and even slept overnight in recording studio to get an early
start. Beat out several other interns to earn full-time position at world-renowned recording studio due to
work ethic and commitment. Professional-level guitar player who has taught guitar for 6 years and
played on 3 albums.
MY EDUCATION
Bachelor of Professional Services in Music Business (Concentration in Audio)
New York Music School, New York, NY (2008)
MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
ROUNDHOUSE STUDIOS
Studio Administrator (7/2008 to 5/2009)
Intern (1/2008 to 7/2008)
1/2008 to Present
Initially hired as intern by this award-winning recording studio, but chosen over 11 other interns for
promotion to full-time work as a result of work ethic and commitment to client satisfaction. Handle a
wide range of duties including booking sessions, keeping accounts, assisting on recording sessions,
managing equipment, and training/overseeing 8-10 interns. Report to Studio Manager and work directly
with CEO.
Coordinated numerous assignments in fast-paced, high pressure environment – for example,
served as chief engineer on several recording sessions at short notice.
Constantly resolved challenging issues and customer service situations by devising creative
solutions. Often sourced hard-to-find items at short notice for high profile studio clients such as
Jay-Z and Whitney Houston.
Took initiative to set up and tune guitars for recording sessions – subsequently invited to play
guitar on 2 albums produced by the legendary Frank Liddell.
LAST CHANCE RADIO SHOW / EBD RECORDING STUDIO
Intern
6/2007 to 12/2007
Initially hired on internship with recording studio and then invited by supervisor to work on the Sirius
Radio show ‘Last Chance.’ Accountable for setting up microphones and recording equipment, assisting in
the recording process and monitoring sound during live performances.
Selected for radio show internship as a result of exceptional performance in prior position –
consistently went over and above to ensure client satisfaction.
Additional experience: Private Guitar Instructor (1/2002 to Present)
MY TECHNICAL SKILLS
ProTools and Logic; Proficient with Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; Mac and PC literate.
15 Jones Street, Scarsdale NY 10807
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SUSAN DELANCEY
Proven track record of successful event planning, logistics and production in industries as varied
as fashion, consulting, advertising and not-for-profit. Consistently applied unusual combination of
creativity and impeccable organization skills to carry off high-profile events without a hitch.
Passion for creating unique experiences that attendees remember for years.
Expertise includes:
Event Logistics & Production
Print Collateral Design & Creation
Public Relations & Marketing
 Creative Event Themes
 Fundraising Campaigns
 Contract Negotiation & Management
SELECTED CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
As PR associate for Dona Humé: planned and produced all aspects of high-profile fashion
shows and events, including model selection, event planning and show choreography.
As account coordinator for Davis & Solomon: liaised between multiple worldwide offices
of agency and Fortune 500 client to manage logistics of all print and advertising.
As a manager for the Westchester Conservancy: developed the organization’s first event
template to ensure that all functions ran smoothly.
As Coordinator for two non-profits: Led numerous record-breaking fundraising drives.
PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE
Development Coordinator
TRUST FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS, New York, NY
Not-for-profit conservation organization
2005 to Present
Designed, planned and managed events including receptions, press events and dedications.
Managed five advisory councils with accountability for fundraising and awareness-building.
Coordinated teams of up to 100 volunteers on an event-by-event basis and worked closely with
Board of Directors and key donors.
Beat fundraising goals every year by as much as 75%. Achieved exceptional results by
organizing efforts well in advance and developing creative themes for each campaign.
Managed press campaign for launch of major new preservation initiative – secured coverage
in New York Magazine, the New York Times and Village Voice, and on ABC, NBC and Fox.
Forged strategic alliance with several major corporations, including ongoing national
partnership with leading home furnishing retailer that resulted in extensive media coverage
and record-breaking retail sales.
Grew volunteer base 47% during tenure through increased awareness and publicity.
Tel: 212-555-5555 email: sdelancey@net.net
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SUSAN DELANCEY
Committee Manager
WESTCHESTER CONSERVANCY, New York, NY
High-profile committee focused on land conservancy
2003 to 2005
Planned, coordinated and executed New York society events for up to 1,000 attendees to raise
money and awareness for the work of the Westchester Conservancy. Defined fundraising
strategy, set and managed budgets, selected vendors, oversaw collateral production, wrote
proposals and managed four committees.
Developed and led promotional strategy for the tour committee, including developing themed
tours of local parklands. Designed promotional materials and presentations to attract potential
donors to take the new tours.
Created the committee’s first event templates designed to ensure that each event could be
organized efficiently and with the necessary attention to detail and follow-up.
Exceeded fundraising goals and broke previous records each year by reorganizing annual
fundraising appeals.
Public Relations & Marketing Associate
DONA HUMÉ, New York, NY
Leading Italian fashion designer
2002
Recruited by company’s new marketing VP to help establish company’s first marketing
department. Planned, organized and orchestrated fashion shows, presentations and other media
events.
Played key role in national re-launch, including developing integrated on- and offline
marketing and PR campaign.
Built extensive database of key influencers and journalists. Conducted all research and made
contact via phone calls and networking at industry events.
Designed and choreographed NYC fashion show to introduce new line of men’s clothing.
Account Coordinator
DAVIS & SOLOMON, New York, NY
Global advertising and communications agency
1998 to 2002
Managed the preparation of print and TV advertising from conception through production for
major consulting client. Liaised between creative’s and account management and coordinated the
efforts of several Davis & Solomon offices around the world.
EDUCATION
MA, Mass Communication, New York University, New York, NY, 1998
BA, Psychology and History of Art, Columbia University, New York, NY, 1996
Tel: 212-555-5555 email: sdelancey@net.net
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AARON J. STEDHAM, MBA
5401 68th Street  Lubbock, TX 79424  555-555-5555  aaronsted495@hotmail.com
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
“Making Life Easier for Busy Executives”
Highly competent professional who can be trusted with even the most confidential projects. Excel in turning
disorganized environments into smooth-running operations and overhauling administrative processes to
improve accuracy and efficiency. Self-starter and quick-learner who always exceeds expectations.
Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook), FrontPage, MS Money, QuickBooks,
Visio, HTML, Photoshop, Illustrator and MS Project.
Areas of expertise:
Managing Files, Records & Documents
Performing Accounting Functions
Handling HR Responsibilities
Preparing Correspondence & Reports
- Planning Corporate Events & Meetings
- Managing Calendars & Travel
- Training & Supervising Personnel
- Developing Policies & Procedures
ON THE WEB
Blog: aaronslittleblog.com
Twitter: @aaronj
Facebook: aaronjstedham
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/aaronjstedham
PRO F ESS ION AL E XPE RIE N CE
WELDEN INDUSTRIES, Lubbock, TX
Executive Assistant
2006 – Present
Provide a full range of support services for President and Office Administrator. In charge of document
preparation, confidential file management, mail handling, supply ordering, and record maintenance.
Coordinate and carry out special events, requests, projects, and communication plans. Process timecards,
weekly payroll, and accounts payable/receivable.
Overview: Established policies and procedures that brought order and stability to extremely
disorganized environment.
Improved efficiency by organizing mounds of paperwork into confidential, detail-oriented filing system.
Revamped Excel record-keeping and reporting to furnish executives with more accurate financial data.
Linked QuickBooks system with donor database to automate the process of tax administration.
Saved time and money by creating systematic process for AP and AR for 2 separate companies.
EFG CARE
Assistant to Vice President
2005 – 2006
Enabled Vice President to become more productive by handling a wide array of executive office tasks,
including screening phone calls, preparing correspondence/memos, and creating new processes/procedures.
Built and led a highly effective office support team by hiring, training, and overseeing members. Maintained
strict confidentiality with sensitive information, financial documents, client records, and personal matters.
Overview: Carved out and fulfilled critical role in this newly created position, working for Vice
President who was often unavailable and consumed with additional obligations.
Protected business and improved credibility by devising stronger approach to employee background
checks.
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ABC, INC., Lubbock, Texas
Office Manager / Executive Assistant
2003 – 2004
Handled virtually every aspect of business, from ordering supplies, to supporting General Manager, to billing
customers and interviewing employees. Shouldered accounting, inventory, budgeting, HR, and managerial
functions as well as administrative, clerical, and receptionist duties. Served as sole contact to corporate office.
Processed timecards and payroll for 30+ employees.
Overview: Recruited to clean-up unstructured office operations. Immediately set-up processes
and procedures and worked tirelessly to gain control of heavy workload.
Tamed cumbersome billing process by minimizing system breakdowns via methodical training of all
involved parties.
Created rules and procedures to standardize employee/contractor timecard submissions that improved
productivity and accounting accuracy.
CHICOS, Lubbock, Texas
Assistant Manager
2002 – 2005
Took on all accounts receivable and support functions to help manage store’s budget and inventory levels.
Backed management by conducting daily audits, preparing bank deposits, and developing work schedules.
Created auditing and backup procedures for severely understaffed and non-computerized operation.
XYZ, Lubbock, Texas
Sr. Systems Analyst
1998 – 2002
Brought into new position to assist Director and team supporting 20+ client Web sites. Served as internal
team leader for development of department Intranet site. Project managed other department Web sites,
ensuring support and integrity of live data. Independently learned to program and design corporate Intranet
pages.
UYB CORPORATION, Lubbock, Texas
Administrative Assistant
1995 – 1998
Provided administrative support to 100+ employees. Advanced objectives of IS Director and executive staff,
organizing schedules, travel plans, staff meetings, and filing systems. Prepared and handled correspondence,
reports, presentations, and memos with speed and accuracy.
Overview: Hired into Information Systems Department despite limited computer knowledge.
Quickly learned software and independently handled large-sized projects for hands-off
Director.
Led smooth relocation of entire IS floor for 75+ employees in just one-half day during Director’s absence.
Planned and executed 100+ company parties, team-building activities, and quarterly meetings at offsite
venues.
Developed in-depth training catalog library that equipped IS department with valuable technical
information.
E DUCA TIO N & CRE DE NTI A L S
Master of Business Administration, TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY – Lubbock, TX; 2001
Bachelor of Science, Sociology, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY – College Station, TX; 1994
Sam Houston State University Web Developer Certification  State of Texas Real Estate License
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PETER ALSACE
5400 68th Street
Lubbock, TX 79424
palsace203@hotmail.com
H: 555-555-5555
C: 555-555-5555
EXECUTIVE: FASHION PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Turned design vision into reality for some of the world’s most prominent
designers including Karin Aileen, Corey Hunter and Dona Humé
Design-driven professional with unusual blend of business acumen, creativity, and organizational skills.
Known for quickly grasping designers’ style and aesthetic, understanding fiscal restraints, and balancing
design sensibility with financial requirements. Original thinker with an excellent aesthetic, eye for detail
and ability to quickly understand a design concept.
Areas of expertise include:




Market Identification & Analysis
Brand Management/Development
Strategic Business Planning
Systems/Process Improvement




Product Introduction Management
Expense Control & Cost Containment
Policies & Procedure Development
Sales Analysis & Merchandising Plans
I have worked for the top three designers in the USA. All three could discuss
their designs and concepts with me and I was able to execute their designs
flawlessly and source the materials globally. They trusted me to be their eyes
and to make aesthetic decisions for them.
PRO FESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
KARIN AILEEN COMPANY, LLC
2004–Present
Vice President of Product Development, Women's Collection
Recruited to establish company’s first product development department. Oversaw $100 million women's
collection; supervised, prioritized, and scheduled work of in-house team of patternmakers, tailors,
sewers, and cutters; managed 40, administered $12 million budget, worked closely with Creative
Director, and reported directly to President.
Impact: Transformed dysfunctional design process which had resulted in costly and
impractical lines. Built new product development department, revamped processes, and
improved communication, resulting in affordable garments shipped on time.

Established formal and frequent communications between Design, Merchandising, and
Production to enable costing and sourcing within he required timeframes.

Slashed costs 50% (through improved productivity, reduced staff, fewer errors and cuts in T&E
expenses) by replacing antiquated manual system with state-of-the-art central database.

Enabled all divisions to access, share, and utilize information by implementing separate, dedicated
computer database programs for style, stitching, fabric, and trim departments.

Created company’s first seasonal time/action calendar based on lead times and assigned specific
roles/ responsibilities to Product Development, Merchandising, and Production.

Increased productivity and cut fabric costs by creating/implementing a computerized inventory
management system.
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Page 2 of 2
COREY HUNTER, INC.
1991 to 2003
Vice President of Product Development, Corey Jeans (2001 to 2003)
Directed operations of $600 million designer jeans business; supervised men's, women's, junior's,
boy's and girl's teams, and oversaw all facets of design and development. Managed 45, administered
$500,000 budget, and reported directly to Senior Vice President of Global Operations. Inherited
challenging situation which had resulted in poor morale and a lack of clear design point of view.
Impact: Restructured department to improve accountability and increase productivity.
Cut staffing overhead by 50% while ensuring timely rollout of all lines.
Clarified roles and responsibilities, allowing the designers to focus all their efforts on design.
Dramatically reduced spending by designing unified line based on analysis of prior sales and
current market trends. Cut travel and entertainment costs by 67%.
Created realistic calendar that helped designers deliver cohesive lines on time.
Gained trust of team, boosted employee morale and reduced staff turnover.
Vice President Product Development, TS Brand (1999 to 2001)
Directed design, planning, operations, and development of $120 million men's and women's ready-towear business. Supervised 22 and oversaw $500,000 budget.
Impact: Enabled men's and women's design teams to work more closely, refocus on
creativity, and complete lines on time without hiring additional staff.
Improved compliance with deadlines by creating/managing women's time/action calendar that
assigned daily activities.
Saved development time, established satisfied and loyal customer base, and boosted sales by
standardizing fits and shapes for each category.
Director of Product Development, TS Men's (1996 to 1999)
Directed design operations, planning, and product development from concept through production of
$60 million men's ready-to-wear business. Managed 11 and administered $250,000 budget.
Impact: Played key role in turn around of underperforming division, boosting sales 25%
and profit margin 29%.
Saved development time and eliminated yearly development of numerous prototypes by creating
“block library” that standardized fits and shapes for each category.
Facilitated quicker and more accurate information transmission by spearheading migration to
state-of-the-art information management system.
Earlier Experience:
Senior Designer, Men's; Designer, DK Men’s; Senior Product Manager, Pretty In Pink; Product
Manager, Boy's and Licensees, Ralphie Attaboy; Salary Administration Coordinator, IU International
Corporation
E DUCA TIO N
BA, Political Science – Columbia University, New York, NY
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Karthik V. Rahmouli
VIDEO GAME PROGRAMMER
“I am extremely persistent in problem-solving – I will always
go the extra mile to find the solution … I will not take short-cuts
in my code as that just leads to more problems later on.”
professional profile
Talented programmer with the ability to quickly pick up and use new languages, tools and software
applications. Dedicated team member with a passion for video games and the games industry. Patient and
creative problem-solver who is known for organizational skills, commitment to excellence and track record of
delivering work ahead of schedule. See professional portfolio at www.******.com.
education
B.S., Computer Science – New York University, New York NY, 2008
Courses included : 3D Technology for Online Games; Computer Networks; Computer Animation; Applied
Number Theory; Topics in Convergent Media (game development); Compilers; Robotics.
relevant experience
LEAD PROGRAMMER – NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, GAME DEVELOPMENT CLASS, 2008
Led all aspects of programming for the adventure game UltraQuest. Used Unreal script. Managed project
schedule and dependencies for integrating game assets such as audio, textures and models. Created
modules for other programmers to work with and programmed some modules.
Programmed armor and weapons modules; created camera view and successfully integrated all animation
and models into the game on time, quickly learning a new language with little documentation.
Created informational website to help members of game development class. Site included technical
information, game development tutorials, project updates and industry news.
WEB DEVELOPER - SHOPPINGCENTRAL.COM, 2007 – PRESENT
Member of 4-person IT department with accountability for web site development and maintenance (COM+, VB
and DHTML). Brought in to help revitalize a four-year old web application which had been created with little
documentation and few formal processes.
Restructured, optimized and documented code throughout the site to make navigation easier and more
intuitive; repaired or recreated 100 pages (or 60% of the site) within 5 months.
Completed critical project to improve site security, securing information on hundreds of credit cards, by
adding encrypted cookies and setting security levels for each part of the site.
WEB DEVELOPER – NEW YORK CITY GUIDE, 2005 – 2007
Developed web pages based on specifications and content provided by clients. Used JavaScript to improve the
functionality of the existing site, and worked closely with clients to create a distinct ‘look and feel’ to each
page. Also made improvements to the content flow.
technical skills
Languages:
Platforms:
Networking:
Database:
C / C++, ASP, COM /DCOM, HTML, DHTML, MFC, Perl, JavaScript, VB Script
Windows NT/2000/XP; UNIX - Linux
TCP / IP, Winsock, Berkeley Sockets, HTTP, FTP, POP3, IMAP
Relational databases, SQL Server 2000, Oracle administration, MS Access
47 Spencer Road, Scarsdale, NY / (914) 555-5555 / rahmouli@net.net
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lisadawn
GRAPHICS
●
WEB
●
DESIGN
●
ILLUSTRATION
Profile
Award-Winning Graphic Design – extensive experience of both print and web design. Developed brand and
corporate identities, web sites, advertisements, annual reports and sales collateral for clients in retail,
professional services, high-tech and fashion industries.
Effective Team Player – known for creativity, flexibility and sense of humor. Former manager noted: “Lisa is
one of the best designers I’ve worked with. She has an uncanny ability to interpret the client’s unspoken wishes
and come up with just the right solution.”
Software Skills
Adobe Photoshop
QuarkXpress
HTML
CorelDraw
Adobe PageMaker
Adobe Illustrator
FrontPage
3D Studio Max
ImageReady
Adobe AfterEffects
Adobe Premiere
Dreamweaver
Flash 4 & 5
Maya
Adobe InDesign
Selected Awards and Honors
Webby Gold Award, 2002
Forbes Magazine, Best of Web selection, 2001
American Graphic Design Awards, Best Logo Design, 2000
Clio Award, Best Package Design – consumer goods, 1997
Clio Award, Best Print Campaign – 1999
Career Development
RAINTREE COMMUNICATIONS – TORONTO, ON
Founder
2000 – PRESENT
Managed full service print and web design agency, providing strategic leadership to team of 4 design
professionals. Led design direction, maintained client relationships and managed all sales efforts.

Founded and grew this agency whose mission was to provide exceptional design and branding services
to small businesses. Annual revenues grew to over $1 million.

Designed innovative user-interface for financial services company enabling users to easily look up stock
ticker symbols.

Repositioned and developed new corporate branding for retailer looking to carve out niche and grow
aggressively.

Received numerous industry awards and honors, including Clio, Webby and American Graphics Design
Award.
271 Clinton Drive, Toronto, Canada ● (416) 555-5555 ● lisadawn33@snet.net
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lisadawn
LIQUID REEL – TORONTO, ON
Design Director
1998 – 2000
Recruited to lead design team for this start-up Web design and Internet marketing agency servicing diverse
client base. Managed team of 15 design professionals, set creative direction and vision, managed client interface
and coordinated with project managers to ensure design projects were delivered on time and budget. Called
“the key to our successes” by CEO.
Created print marketing campaign for major professional services firm which received a Clio award in 1999.
Successfully led the growth of the design team, from 1 employee to 15 during a period of 300% revenue
growth for the company.
Designed all aspects of Liquid Reel corporate identity, including logo, stationary, print advertisements
and Web site.
Played key role in new business presentations which resulted in the addition of 5 Fortune 500 clients within
the first year of business.
BLAINE & ASSOCIATES – TORONTO, ON
Lead Graphic Designer (1996 – 1998)
Graphic Designer (1993 – 1996)
1993 – 1998
Hired as junior designer and promoted several times into positions of progressive responsibility. As Lead
Designer, supervised team of 8 designers and artists and coordinated with print production and sales teams
to ensure client satisfaction.
Supervised award-winning corporate branding campaigns for high profile clients such as DonAir, Stamos
and Davies-Peabody.
Produced over 100 projects a year including logos, print advertisements, brochures, annual reports,
posters, technical illustrations and maps.
BFA, Graphic Design, University of Toronto, 1993
Digital Media Design Diploma, International Academy of Design & Technology, Toronto, 1999
Professional Affiliations
Member, Internet Professional Publishers Association
Member, Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario
Member, Society of Graphic Designers of Canada
271 Clinton Drive, Toronto, Canada ● (416) 555-5555 ● lisadawn33@snet.net
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JAN WEINSTEIN
5401
68th
Street, Lubbock, TX  T: 555.555.5555  H: 555.555.5555
janweinstein@net.net  www.linkedin.com/in/name
Record of success in complex global organizations ranging from 500 to 50,000+ employees across as
many as 16 countries. Led HR groups of up to 170 and controlled multimillion dollar budgets.
Highly effective change agent with a history of building functions from the ground up, consolidating
disparate teams, and turning around problematic situations. Realist who aligns HR strategy with business
goals and works closely with executives and line managers. Never says ‘no’ without offering an alternative
solution. Business-focused and results-driven.
Areas of expertise include:
Strategic HR Planning
M&A Due Diligence and Integration
Succession Planning & Talent Management
Recruitment & Staffing




Compensation & Benefits
Union Prevention Strategies
Board Member Relations
International HR Leadership
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
BLITZ ENTERTAINMENT, New York, NY
International video game developer with annual revenues of $300M
2005–2009
Vice President, Human Resources
Recruited by CEO, a former colleague, and charged with building infrastructure to help company reposition
itself in a competitive market. Led HR for 500 employees in 11 divisions across 3 countries through team of
Served as company officer and plan trustee for $35M in retirement benefits.
Impact: Key member of senior leadership team that engineered complete turnaround and drove
30%+ sales increases every year.
Worked closely with CEO to restructure entire organization, transforming 11 divisions into 3
streamlined business units with complimentary product offerings. Recruited new management and
implemented communications programs that created a cohesive organizational culture.
Cut employee turnover 67% by replacing ad hoc compensation approach with formal, structured
system that rewarded performance and eliminated discrimination. Established Board of Directors’
Compensation Committee.
Achieved 90% internal fill rate for leadership positions (up from 55%) by designing first formal
executive succession planning process.
Spearheaded due diligence and post-merger integration for 8 acquisitions over a 4-year period.
MACROSYSTEMS, Princeton, NJ
$2B global technology company
2000–2005
Vice President, Human Resources
Led HR team of 170+ with full accountability for US employee relations (40,000 employees in 40+ locations)
and all HR functions for an additional 16,000 international employees (23 sites in 6 countries).
Impact: Helped grow the company from small start-up into global industry leader.
Built world-class recruiting function that hired 450 employees per month and cut time-to-fill by 27% in
the first year.
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JAN WE INSTE IN- PAGE 2
Maintained a low 5% turnover rate despite highly competitive employment market – strategy included
generous benefits, incentive programs, and high quality management training.
Started up company’s off-shore operations in India and Mexico, hiring a total of approximately 8,000
employees in 8 operations in India, and 6,000 employees in 6 operations in the Philippines.
Prevented plant unionization by devising targeted strategy that included changing problematic policies,
and holding educational training sessions with employees and managers.
Performed due diligence on 6 acquisitions in 6 different countries (Egypt, France, New Zealand,
Germany, Brazil and Colombia).
MONARCH SYSTEMS, INC, Scarsdale, NY
Manufacturer of pricing systems
1997–2000
Director, Human Resources
Hired to manage training and then promoted to handle all HR functions after sale of company in 1998.
Managed team of 10 and oversaw HR for 2,600 employees in 8 countries.
Saved $3M in retiree medical liability after implementation of FAS 106 by identifying change in
language that reduced balance sheet impact.
Drove 15% increase in equipment sales by revamping sales incentive plan.
Won campaign to prevent unionization and then improved all workplace policies, thus deterring a
repeat effort by the union.
THE KROLL-O’GARA COMPANY, Fairfield, CT
$800M publicly traded software solutions company
1993–1997
Director, Human Resources
Built and led centralized HR function after merger of two companies. Established all procedures, systems and
processes for 2,500 employees in 12 countries around the world.
Impact: Integrated both companies successfully, creating consistency across benefits,
compensation, processes and employee relations.
Saved $450,000 by consolidating 5 retirement plans into one after the merger. Designed new plan, led
contract negotiations and managed internal communication effort.
Integrated a further 4 corporate acquisitions smoothly, retaining all key employees.
** *** **
Early Career:
Director of Human Resources - Clopay Inc.; Manager, Human Resources - Lexis/Nexis;
Financial Analyst - Procter & Gamble Company.
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MBA, Human Resource Management – Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
BA, Psychology – University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Global Professional Human Resources Certification (GPHR)
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GILLIAN GILBERT
555-555-5555 (H)  555-555-5555 (C)  ggilbert@yahoo.com
IT DIRECTOR/PROJECT MANAGER
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GILLIAN GILBERT
Page 2
Web Developer, (2001 – Present)
Direct full system development life cycle from initial definition through development and implementation. Compose
technical proposals, technical documentation, and informative presentations. Regarded as internal expert on Web
development and marketing. Maximize 3-member team’s effectiveness by providing training, mentoring, and support.
Overview: Hand-selected to lead development of network-based information sharing system for major government
agency. Renovated nominal web presence comprised of static sites with no information sharing capabilities.
 Grew web traffic from under 20,000 hits per year to over 3 million and restored the site’s credibility by designing
new infrastructure and training staff.
 Managed $125K LinkPoint project - designed systems development life cycle plan and physical web server farm
infrastructure, thus guaranteeing compliance with information sharing and collaboration requirements.
 Freed up 50% of network resources by developing LinkPoint Intranets for multiple agencies.
 Led development and implementation of advanced search engine for government analysts. New system cut
infrastructure costs by $75K and reduced staff hours by 5%.
System Engineer (2001 – Present)
Regarded as technical expert and critical asset for most of the company’s enterprise-level projects, remaining on the
cutting-edge of the newest technologies and development protocols.
 Reduced errors 40% and almost eliminated network outages by implementing formal documentation and
processes.
 Improved communication with external IT consultants who supported 2 key networks – shared system engineering
documentation, training, and methodologies, ultimately cutting downtime and enhancing data integrity.
 Led development of complex and highly confidential system for high-profile government agency.
Web Developer— (2000 – 2001)
SACO and Email Administrator (1999 – 2000)
Promoted to revamp unattractive client web sites lacking functionality, usability, and sophistication. Created and
maintained numerous visually-appealing, content-rich Web sites, setting-up agents, views, actions, formulas, and search
engines.

Redesigned 2,000-page e-commerce site for supplier of military equipment. After redesign, conversion rates
increased 67% and page views went up by 48%.

Implemented web analytic programs for multiple clients and trained employees on how to read and interpret the
reports.

Requested by U.S. Department of Agriculture to become keynote speaker at national seminars to educate the
farming industry on business-to-business e-commerce via the internet.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
B.S., Computer Information Technology, Summer 2009
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
Completed numerous and various IT professional development courses and seminars
(Full list provided upon request)
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Bill Duff
555.122.1212  billduff@yahoo.com
Manufacturing Operations Manager
Street Address  Town, ST, Zip
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Bill Duff
Page 2
Manufacturing Operations Manager
Street Address  Town, ST, Zip
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Susan Madlow
T: 212-555-5555 / C: 212-121-4545
Smadlow6756@hotmail.com
About Me
Areas of Expertise:
“My passion is building
strong brands through
market research to
understand the
customer, smart product
development to tap into
needs, and creative
positioning to penetrate
the target niche.”
Market Research
Brand Building
Strategic Planning
Taste Profile Analysis
Budget Management
Integrated Marketing
Brand Governance
Sales/ROI Forecasting
Copywriting & POS
P&L Management
Team Leadership
Identity Creation
Professional Experience
SUPERMARKETS INC.
Senior Brand Manager (2006–2009)
2005–2009
Led 12-member cross-functional team managing product development, packaging, advertising and
brand management for $1 billion business unit. Held full P&L responsibility for consumer brands
business – analyzed market, cultivated innovation, optimized product mix and pricing, and designed
promotional strategies.
Results:
Drove $27 million increase in total revenues (7.1%) in 2007.
Reversed declining sales on coffee, boosting revenues 6% in just one year.
Grew cold meats category by 33.2% in 2007 and 24.5% (projected) in 2008.
Pioneered new pasta product category that increased overall pasta sales 5%.
Strategy included:
Revitalized under-performing team, and exceeded revenue goals, by creating structured
processes and improving cross-functional relationships and communication.
Developed strategic plan including pricing changes and new promotional approaches.
Improved branding and messaging and devised product knowledge training for store
employees.
Played key role in launch of frozen food line that will beat revenue targets by 140%.
Developed new ‘smart eating’ line of healthy spreads after recognizing opportunity to
differentiate the line from other brands. Projected year-on-year sales growth is 25%.
Marketing Analyst (2005–2006)
Hired into newly created position to help transition organization from a traditional ‘private label’
department to an internal consumer packaged goods function. Provided senior brand managers with
market and trend analysis for bakery, deli and food service categories and provided project
management support on packaging development and plan tracking for all new product launches.
Results:
Played key role in reducing packaging development time by 30%.
Identified new deli market niche, helping to drive a 27% sales increase.
Member of team that reversed negative sales trend, delivering 4% growth.
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Page 2
Professional Experience (continued)
Cut lead time for packaging development 30% (and thus improved time-to-market) by
leading transition from manual system to web-based project management tool.
Boosted deli sales $1.2 million per year by capitalizing on trend towards ethnic flavor
offerings.
Drove 10% sales increase on key top-selling deli product by successfully advocating for price
changes to enhance competitive positioning.
NATIONAL LEUKEMIA FOUNDATION
Communications Manager (1999–2000)
1999–2002
Designed, wrote and led production of marketing collateral for New York region. Work included
writing original content for, and designing, award-winning quarterly magazine, monthly calendar
and multiple brochures. Managed budgets, schedules and third-party vendors, and worked crossfunctionally to ensure brand consistency of all marketing materials and communications.
Results:
Created campaign that achieved an unheard-of 8% response rate.
Played key role in driving 13% increase in donations.
Designed volunteer recruitment campaign that shattered all prior records.
Contributions included:
Received 13 prestigious awards for marketing excellence and original newsletter content
from the National MS Society.
Conducted comprehensive audit of fundraising communications and marketing materials that
identified opportunities for stronger branding.
Established style guidelines, processes and procedures for fundraising communications and
marketing collateral, ensuring a much more consistent and more effective brand message.
A&M ENGINEERING
Marketing Assistant
1999
Managed direct mail, marketing collateral, lead generation and proposal-writing for privately held
architectural and engineering firm.
Identified market opportunity and positioned the company to specialize in the hospitality
industry.
Generated leads, made sales calls and created proposals that resulted in sales pitches on
millions of dollars of new business, including an $8 million hotel in New York and the
renovation of an historic hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Education
MBA, Marketing – Columbia University, New York, NY (1999)
BA, English - University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA (1994)
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5400 68TH Street � 555-555-5555 � pbertrand203@aol.com
15+ years experience of managing the full project life cycle from concept to final delivery. Equally adept at
planning and execution, effectively managing multiple projects at various stages of production. Known as someone
who can always be counted on - never misses a deadline and consistently delivers projects under budget.
Broad production experience includes direct mail, print marketing, Web & multimedia development. Delivers
integrated marketing solutions by coordinating artists, designers, production staff, vendors and account executives.
Extensive experience leading cross-functional project teams. Upbeat personality, hands-on management style
and calm demeanor bring out the best in employees and co-workers, even in high pressure situations.
“Patrick has been the best supervisor of my career…I can’t remember one missed deadline … He thrives in
quick turnaround situations and can always be counted on.”
Jerry Erut, Editor/Quality Control, the Distinct Advantage Inc.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Web Design & Development
Project Management
Creative Problem-Solving
Production Planning
Multi-Language Production
Vendor Management
Prepress & Press Checks
Meeting Tight Deadlines
Production Trafficking
Client Relationships
Project Estimating
Budget Management
“It has been my distinct privilege to have worked with Patrick Bertrand and I recommend him in the highest
terms … good spirited, even under sometimes stressful conditions, he always does a good job.”
Janet Wood, Creative Director, The Advantage
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
THE ADVANTAGE, Lubbock, TX
Production Manager
1995 – 2004
Recruited to establish production processes for growing advertising agency which had recently acquired several Fortune
500 clients. Provided leadership to team of 10 – 20 artists and production staff and worked closely with creative director,
account executives and interactive developers. Managed up to 40 concurrent active print and multimedia projects,
coordinating both internal teams and external vendors.
Designed and implemented production processes and controls which allowed the company to grow by 800% in two
years while delivering all projects on time and under budget.
Brought all projects in at an average of 30% below the quoted price by streamlining production, managing vendors
and communicating constantly.
Spearheaded the agency’s entry into web development enabling the company to offer integrated marketing
solutions. Initially contracted with external developers before bringing development in-house to reduce costs.
Introduced ‘proof of concept’ methodology for website development, thereby ensuring clients, account executives
and developers were on the same page from the start of the project.
Conducted comprehensive research of vendors and software applications to add email marketing to the agency’s
service offering.
Consistently updated processes and technology – initially played key role in the implementation of the company’s
first computer network and subsequently updated systems and software to keep the agency on leading edge.
Developed comprehensive MS Excel financial model in order to accurately estimate project costs.
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PATRICK C. BERTRAND
– PAGE 2 –
RTF, New York, NY
Graphic Supervisor
1985 – 1995
Originally recruited to coordinate the work of three creative teams for this advertising agency. Subsequently promoted
to a supervisory role with accountability for trafficking all work from creative to production and for all hardware and
software purchasing for the agency. Liaised with print and media buyers and managed external resources. Estimated all
projects using Excel and Access.
Streamlined workload, increased productivity and reduced costs by spearheading the agency’s transition from
manual layouts to computerized design and production.
Successfully advocated for the change, purchased MACs, set up computer room and bought software. Helped
artists and designers make the transition to computer layouts.
Established production flows and processes for all creative teams to ensure that projects were delivered on
schedule and under budget.
Found outsourced providers and negotiated contracts for services such as page layout, artwork, film work and
translations.
Received a number of internal awards in recognition of performance excellence.
CMD, Albany, NY
Manager
1984 – 1985
Managed retail store with accountability for generating sales, providing high levels of customer service,
merchandising products, supervising staff and managing the store’s accounts.
EARLY CAREER: Supervised and coordinated production of 23 magazines per week for KJP Color Plate.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Patrick for over a decade… he can be counted on for precision and
diligence in all aspects of his work … he is a valuable addition to any team.”
Barbara Bowden, Senior Account Manager, The Advantage
COMPUTER SKILLS
Proficient in: MS Project, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Visio, Acrobat, Dynamic, Adman, Outlook
Familiar with: Illustrator, Quark Xpress, Photoshop, Dreamweaver
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Fine Arts – Advertising. Kansas State University, Kansas, KS
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JamesPinciotti
SENIOR MUSIC EXECUTIVE
555-555-5555 / jpinciotti343@aol.com
Profile
Tenacious executive with an exceptional understanding of youth culture and entertainment. Visionary leader
who develops innovative campaigns that drive revenue and profit growth. Built entertainment brands such as
[name] and [name] into global success stories. Extensive network of A-list music industry talent,
producers, journalists and executives.
“James just doesn’t give in. If he finds a great artist, he won’t let it go. If he sees a business opportunity, he works until he makes
it happen. I would work with him again in a heartbeat.” John Borrman, VP, FSH Television, 2006
Expertise




Strategic Planning
Deal Negotiation
Online Community Building
Production




Artist Management
Song Placement
Youth Marketing
Viral/Guerilla Campaigns




Budget Management
Positioning & Marketing
Trend Analysis
International Business
Experience
MAJOR LABEL, New York, NY
Senior VP, A&R
2006–Present
Charged with overhauling under-performing A&R function. Inherited roster that had become stale, and faced
challenge of declining record sales. Accountable for 30+ artists, leading team of 7 including staff producers
and Studio Manager. Built relationships with international and US divisions and attracted top-tier producers.

Led complete creative turnaround that is now coming to fruition. Took the company from 2 albums
in the pipeline to 8. Currently have 3 singles in the Billboard top 40.

Discovered and signed [name], winning a bidding war between three major labels by winning band’s
trust.

Hired platinum-selling, critically-acclaimed Producer to find new talent, develop artists and manage
production projects. Cut production costs 50% by moving the majority of the work in-house.

Developed staff producers through mentoring and training – one previously unknown producer went
on to write and produce [name’s] multi-platinum album.
ZYS, Los Angeles CA
Artist Manager
2003–2006
Helped well-known Hollywood talent agency expand into the music industry. Used extensive network of
contacts to secure top-flight in an increasingly challenging environment. Accountable for signing talented new
clients, sourcing projects, marketing clients, managing projects, controlling budgets and shopping albums.

Added $8 million in the first year by signing several multi-platinum artists and producers.

Brokered one of 2004’s most lucrative recording deals – orchestrated bidding war between 9 record
companies and fielded offers from 6 labels resulting in eventual $10 million deal with [name].

Beat out 3 other agencies to sign heralded new rap artist and shepherded first release to platinum
status.
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JamesPinciotti
SENIOR MUSIC EXECUTIVE
FAME RECORDS, Los Angeles, CA
VP, A&R
Page 2
2000–2003
Recruited as part of new management team with accountability for finding and signing new talent, overseeing
the creative process, coordinating marketing efforts, networking to identify new opportunities for roster of
artists, identifying new trends, representing the company at trade shows and managing project budgets of
between $50,000 and $1 million.
Repositioned the company and grew revenues by over $30 million in 3 years
Built credibility for the label by developing a fully integrated, cross-functional approach to finding and
developing new artists.
Delivered revenue of over $10 million and established [name] as a premier rock brand with the launch
of their first album; replaced the traditional focus on radio with an Internet/media/touring strategy
that resulted in a strong fan base prior to radio launch.
Catapulted [name’s] first release to the Top 40 list and generated sales of more than $8 million by using
an artist development approach to build a loyal following and create momentum.
RTE/HBR RECORDS, Los Angeles, CA
1997–2000
VP, A&R
Recruited by former boss to lead A&R and then retained (one of only 2 executives retained) after merger with
RTE, and subsequently promoted to Vice President. Worked remotely from LA office for company that was
based in New York City.
Spotted numerous artists including Supernova and Trainwreck, and contributed to signing of Helium who sold 12 million albums - and creative direction of their #1 hit single “Down Town.”
Handled A&R for Justin Lenny, preparing all aspects of launch for Grammy-winning album.
AZURE RECORDS, Los Angeles, CA
A&R Manager
1991–1997
Initially served as assistant to 4 busy A&R executives before earning promotion to manager-level. Worked on
multi-platinum recordings by bands such as [name] and [name].
Discovered, advocated for, and signed [name] who was unknown at the time. Convinced President to
listen to her and beat out numerous major label competitors to sign her.
Oversaw all aspects of launch of [name] career, including creative direction, hiring a producer,
positioning her with the target audience and devising ‘tastemaker’ marketing strategy – drove sales of
11 million on her first album, total revenues of $150 million and multiple high-profile awards.
Spotted [name] before any other label noticed them - persuaded Head of A&R to see them and set up
showcase that resulted in a contract offer almost immediately.
MBA, New York University, NY (1992)
BA, Political Science, New York University (1989)
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S USAN S PENCER
New Media Executive  Internet Pioneer
I
Bronxville, NY 10708
spencersusan@net.net ! (914) 222-2222
nnovator with over 10 years’ experience driving revenue and profit increases through the web by
developing strategic partnerships, capitalizing on emerging technologies, acquiring valuable content
and developing clear brand messaging. Successes include a 100% increase in revenues and 20-fold
boost in web traffic for Red Dog Inc.
Exceptional knowledge of website production technologies, extensive network of contacts in online space
and in-depth experience monitoring industry trends. Regularly featured in publications such as eWeek,
Internet World, and Computer World.
CORE COMPETENCIES
 Technology Leadership
 Developing Internet Strategy
 Judgement/Problem Solving
 Internet Start-Ups
 E-commerce Operations
 Operations & Infrastructure
 Profit & Loss
 Project Management
 Strategic Business Thinker
 Company Acquisitions
 Technology Integration
 Implementation/ Maintenance
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
RED DOG INC.
VP, Internet Operations
2004 to Present
Appointed to establish web strategy for company that had built a credible destination site, but was
trapped in a niche category deemed too small to build a credible and profitable business.
Results: Drove 100% increase in revenues and transformed company into content and e-commerce
powerhouse by expanding niche to open up new opportunities.

Introduced new original content sub-sites that resulted in WaterWorld being named one of PC
Magazine’s Top 100 websites and marked as an Alexa.com ‘mover and shaker’ for rapid traffic growth.

Drove 20-fold increase in unique visitors within the first year, from under 100,000 per month to just
under 2 million.

Boosted ad revenues 100% by securing sponsorships with GE, Volvo, Discovery Channel, CBS,
Twentieth Century Fox, History Channel, Intel, and Nokia.

Added $5 million to annual revenues by creating formal sponsorship offering an array of
opportunities to advertisers.

Launched e-commerce store in just 2 months, generating an immediate $500,000 per year in revenues.

Created video syndication relationships with Microsoft (MSN.com and MSNBC.com) that have
boosted site traffic, ad revenues and e-commerce sales.
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XYZ.COM
2002–2004
Grew a start-up business during the initial Internet boom period and integrated editorial, technical and
marketing assets into a credible and valuable property.
Results: Grew business from zero to over $5 million in annual revenues.
Negotiated and secured syndication relationships with major partners such as CNN, MSNBC,
Yahoo and USA Today, resulting in rapidly growing traffic.
Boosted e-commerce sales by average of 30% each year by diversifying the business – a critical
move during a depressed Internet market.
Reduced external licensing costs by $100K+ by developing a core technology system that drove the
business.
FGH.COM
1999–2002
Recruited in to start-up web company and charged with establishing the business from the ground up.
Implemented detailed roadmap for success that immediately boosted site traffic and revenue, and
eventually helped negotiate profitable sale of business.
Results: Played key role in growing new business to $20 million in annual revenues with 75 employees
and a global reputation.
Designed and launched numerous innovative features that drew media attention and established the
site as an industry thought leader.
Established editorial plans for several major news events, making the site the most visited in its niche
on every major occasion.
FOGHORN COMMUNICATIONS
1997–1998
Senior Web Manager
Oversaw multiple site development/management projects for consulting business focused on the music
industry.
Doubled billable revenue within one year on major account by developing new website design that
pleased record label so much they decided to hire FogHorn to revamp 10 artist websites.
Hired SEO expert to expand agency’s capabilities and service offerings, increasing the average value
of a project by 10%.
EDUCATION
University of New York, New York NY - BA Political Science / BA History (1996)
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




2008
2007
2004
2000
1999
Top Sales Award – added $22 million in assets-under-management.
Sales Producer Award – increased assets under management by $15 million
President’s Club - awarded “dream vacation” all expenses paid.
Top Producer Award - increased assets under management by over 1,100%
Account Opener of the Year - opened 92 new accounts both domestic and international.
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Ravi Dhruba
SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
27 Snow Lane, Scarsdale, NY
914-222-5555  ravidhruba@gmail.com
Professional Profile
Creative marketing manager with a proven record of driving revenue gains and brand awareness through
intelligent use of social media. For example – increased traffic to current employer’s website 32% via
social media strategy comprising Youtube, Facebook and Twitter.
Personal traits: Hard-working, reliable (exceptional attendance and punctuality), creative, innovative,
technologically savvy and quick to learn new skills. Learn more at www.hireravi.com or follow me on
Twitter (@ravidhruba).
Skills:
Strategic Planning
Twitter
Facebook Advertising
Project Management
Business Development
Digital Asset Management
Market Research
Blogging / Blog Commenting
Youtube Video Production
 Brand Identity
Media Planning & Buying
 Technology Implementation
Career History
TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS INC., Larchmont, NY
Marketing Manager
1/2007 to 10/2009
Initially hired to manage traditional marketing efforts for small systems implementation business with $7M
in annual revenues. Quickly introduced management to social media marketing as a means to develop
leads. Gained executive buy-in, and devised/implemented comprehensive social media strategy.
Developed multiple leads, resulting in at least 8 closed deals. Generated total annualized revenues
of $780,000 at a cost of almost nothing and boosted traffic to corporate website by over 30%.
Launched company’s first blog, focusing on process improvement and systems suggestions and
targeting the needs of small to mid-sized businesses. Built subscriber base of 3,100 in 18 months.
Developed Facebook fan page that has over 4,000 followers, and persuaded management to move
money from Yellow Pages advertising to fund Facebook ads.
Established Twitter page and quickly built following of over 7,500 by engaging with the community,
and using Twitter Search and RSS to find like-minded people.
Produced series of 10 videos for small business owners featuring demonstrations of how to use
commonly used software more efficiently. Videos have been viewed almost 8,000 times to date.
Created email newsletter to complement blog and grew contact database 327%.
THE HUMAN EDGE, Scarsdale, NY
Marketing Coordinator
7/2004 to 12/2006
Recruited as first marketing professional for company whose only prior marketing had been
advertisements in the Yellow Pages. Challenged to create consistent messaging for 3 distinct entities.
Developed comprehensive strategy that included print, radio and local TV advertising.
Created distinct brand strategies for each of the 3 separate businesses to eliminate customer
confusion and improve sales.
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Secured at least 50 new projects for the company as a result of trade show initiative which
significantly raised brand awareness.
Designed and oversaw development of industry-leading website that went beyond the traditional
‘brochure’ site to provide educational and engaging content. Increased traffic by 24%.
XY&Z, Southland, MA
Network Engineering Specialist
6/2001 to 7/2004
Managed equipment investment records, analyzing and reconciling database information with accounting
records.
Quickly reengineered own work processes to complete a full day’s work in only 4 hours and then
taught co-workers how to streamline their own tasks – for example, used macros to automate
complex processes.
Received ‘Creative Excellence’ Award in 2002 for improving departmental processes.
Led key aspect of major software implementation and trained other group leaders in methodology.
Wrote user help manual and designed/conducted training sessions, thereby cutting support
requests by 25%.
SCALEX, New York, NY
Marketing Coordinator
5/1998 to 6/2001
Initially hired to help scan, index and archive paper records into searchable electronic images before
earning promotion to lead team of 5 contract employees and also manage all marketing to attract new
clients for the department.
Transformed the department from a cost center to a revenue generator by growing client base from
one business unit to 23 in just 2 years.
Developed a brand identify for the department and produced advertisements, flyers, newsletters,
internal press releases and a CD-ROM demo.
Increased productivity of each employee by as much as 600% after reengineering processes and
retraining team members. Finished major project months ahead of schedule as a result.
Created email campaign that beat standard response rates by 27%.
Technical Skills
OS: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Server, Linux, Mac
Software: Microsoft Office (Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, Word); Microsoft Exchange
Server, Project, SharePoint Services, Visio; Adobe Acrobat Professional, Bridge, Designer (LiveCycle
Designer), Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop; Quark XPress
Web Programming: HTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration - Major: Marketing, New York University, NY (1999)
Cumulative GPA 3.9 out of 4.0, graduated ‘With High Honor’
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Jaycee Merchant
music composition and sound design
My passion for music is equaled only by my passion for my clients ... that’s why I’ve built a
satisfied clientele including video game developers, movie production companies and commercial corporations.
I know that professionalism and ethics are just as important as talent … that’s why I always
keep my promises. I have established a reputation for delivering high quality work on time and my clients almost
always hire me again.
But that’s not to say I don’t have talent! I innovate constantly, blending music knowledge with
cutting- edge creativity to meet your exact specifications. My work is original, fresh and always well-received.
I love what I do... I believe that sound inspires drama and drama inspires sound, and I am 100%
committed to enhancing the game or film experience.
Music Composition & Scoring
Professional-Grade Audio Tools & Processes
Ability to Work Within all Music Genres
Recording, Editing and Mixing Music and Sound
"Jaycee has come through under extremely tight deadlines …the music she produced met our needs perfectly.
The very quick turnaround and quality work will keep us coming back." Sandra Meyer, Mega Games
"I am constantly impressed by Jaycee’s work ethic and talent and she definitely has her finger on the pulse of
current trends … we will hear great things from her for years to come.” Moiz Marvin, Oscar-winning Composer.
"Jaycee, you do consistently fine work! I have so much respect for your dedication and creative abilities. Thank
you!” Sarah Hubble, President – Davis & Davis Artist Management Group.
The following are just a few of my recent projects:
Scored video games for developers Mega Games and Applause Software. Created high quality
soundtracks to extremely tight deadlines, securing ongoing business relationships with both developers.
Worked with famous composer Moiz Marvin creating music for new reality TV show.
Designed music for Aero Space Media project to demonstrate planned in-plane laptop technology.
Scored major motion picture and trailer which is currently in production.
Provided full-service music to major corporations including the Money Tree. Services included corporate
identity music, scores for animation and background music.
Worked with top TV Director to create a pop-based score for an acclaimed music video which was
distributed to schools nationally.
Contact me at (555) 555-5555 or jaycee@net.net  Check out my work at jayceemusic.com
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Melissa Branch Systems Engineer
5401 68th Street, Lubbock, TX 79424
555-555-5555  melissabranch@aol.com
Professional Profile
Record of improving stability, cutting costs and improving systems flexibility.
Expertise in UNIX engineering/administration.
Thrives when managing complex projects and working to tight deadlines.
Focused on technology as a means to drive the business forward and not for its own sake.
HL COMMUNICATIONS [start-up communications firm]
Systems Architect
2007–present
Joined start-up team whose management lacked technical expertise. Charged with establishing all systems,
tools and processes to support the business. Designed and built entire infrastructure to provide telephone,
cable TV, and Internet service to multi-family residences and business parks. Led staff of 9 and worked closely
with property owners, investors and management. Contributions include:
Hired and managed high-performance team of 4 engineers and 5 installers.
Boosted profit margin 20% by negotiating with hardware vendors, transit television operators and CLECs.
Increased availability from 85% to almost 100% by introducing N+1 redundancy and eliminating rarely
used, low margin features, thus dramatically improving customer satisfaction.
Shifted the organization away from initial decision to build upon proprietary hardware towards a commodity
hardware, software-based solution. Cut costs for customer premises equipment (CPE) by 35%.
Implemented elegant and easy-to-use network monitoring system to provide detailed reports and allow for
proactive monitoring.
FRW [real estate management/brokerage]
Systems Engineer
2005–2007
Brought into organization to update all technology as a means of driving revenue and improving the agency’s
competitive position. Researched, implemented and managed all systems (hardware and software), working
closely with users to understand business needs. Successes include:
Built web-based real estate management, leasing and sales platform - implemented full suite of state-of-theart technologies including virtual tours, automated listings submissions, unified communications and
transaction management.
Developed and launched advanced corporate website that incorporated high-resolution images and
Google/MSN map integration.
Cut development costs more than 50% by outsourcing programming rather than hiring full-time employees.
Saved approximately $50,000 per year, and provided competitive edge, by eliminating need to subscribe to
multiple MLS listing services, instead building proprietary in-house system.
Developed highly user-friendly systems that allowed agents with limited computer knowledge to use them
with very little training.
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Melissa Branch Systems Engineer
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555-555-5555  melissabranch@aol.com
GAMBIA ID [Auto ID Retailer]
Systems Integrator
2003–2005
Recruited to help business grow through development of web-based infrastructure. Designed identifications,
access control and time management systems. Oversaw systems integration for clients and managed
client/vendor relationships. Successes include:
Replaced phone-ordering with e-commerce website, cutting costs and improving service.
Automated numerous systems including customer relationship management, vendor management and order
fulfillment. Implemented ERP/accounting system.
Advocated for new focus on CCTV, a move that generated significant revenue and a 50% profit margin.
Boosted sales and cut customer service calls by publishing manufacturers’ documentation on the website.
BROADBANDING [Internet Service Provider]
Systems Administrator
2001–2002
Managed 24/7/365 network with accountability for shared hosting infrastructure for over 2,000 accounts.
Assembled and configured dedicated *NIX/Windows servers and worked closely with clients and resellers.
Managed successful relocation of 50 production servers including configuring all routing/routers/switches,
DNS, firewalls, VLANs and VPN for new data center. Kept downtime to a minimum.
Early experience:
Systems Administrator, Petrie Communications (2000–2001); Systems Administrator, Hedroom Internet (1999–
2000)
Technical Skills Summary
Languages: UNIX shell scripting, regex, Perl, PHP, HTML
Software: MRTG, OpenView, Nagios, Unicenter, Apache, Caudium, Roxen, IIS, JBoss, Tomcat, OpenSER,
Asterisk, Cisco Call Manager, Ekiga, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, MSSQL, VieleRETS, Yardi, SugarCRM,
osCommerce, ompiere, BIND, Samba, Squid Proxy, Tripwire, Snort, Nessus, PGP, IPFW, Netfilter, Tivoli,
Amanda, KnowledgeTree, Alfresco, Citrix, Visio
Operating Systems: Windows NT/2000/2003, Linux (RHEL, Trustix, CentOS), Solaris, Tru64,
FreeBSD/OpenBSD, Cisco IOS, CatOS
Hardware: DEC Alpha, x86, SPARC, Electroline Addressable Television, Echostar MDU Satellite, Carrier Access
Adit, MagTek, Uniform Industrial, Eltron, Fargo, Zebra, Proximity Card, Smart Card, RFID, NCR, Cisco
routers/switches/PIX, F5 BIG-IP, ADTRAN CSU/DSU, Checkpoint Firewall, RSA SecurID, Nortel Meridian PBX,
Cisco IP Phones, Winchester RAID, EMC SAN, Exabyte, HP SureStore
Networking/Protocols: SSH, TFTP, SNMP, DNS, SMTP, IMAP, UUCP, RSYNC, RIP, BGP, NNTP, TCP/IP, OSI,
Frame Relay, ISDN, PRI, LDAP, IPSec, NFS, DHCP, RADIUS, POP3, SIP, VoIP, TDM, SCCP, RETS, IDX,
Kerberos, NIS/YP, NIS+, VPN, PKI, Ethernet, FDDI, BOOTP, HTTPS, POTS, 802.11, WiFi, H.323, RTP, NAT
Education
Associate Degree, Business/Economics – Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX (2003)
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Alyssa Dorhim
5401 68th Street, Lubbock, TX 79424
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
PROFILE
Editorial and Content Development Skills
industry community with over 500,000 members. Site has received 15
national awards to date.
Conference Management
Public Relations
P&L Management
Editorial Direction
Event Management
Web site Operations
Team Leadership
Track Record of Revenue and Profit Growth
Grew annual revenues for Gambia by 55% in three years by
developing numerous new revenue streams. Achieved a 45% increase
in profits during the same time period.
Product Launch Expertise
Gambia.com. Subsequently conceived and introduced a number of
new products to leverage existing content and increase revenues.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
HOORAY MEDIA LLC, New York, NY
Executive Producer, Developedia.com
2003 – PRESENT
Promoted to this position after former employer acquired Hooray. Turned around unprofitable site by
maximizing the use of content from the annual Developedia Conference and Developedia magazine while also
generating marketing leads for these organizations. Built a web site which is now recognized as the industry
leader. Currently provide strategic and tactical leadership to web team and report directly to the Group
Director for CAM Media Group.
Also serve as Chairperson of the Games Festival and Executive Director of the Developedia Association.
Led fundamental changes which increased revenues by 55% and turned the site from a loss to a 45%
database, sponsored links, banner ads, affiliate partnerships and sponsored online seminars.
Increased site membership by 280%, to 507,000. Created systems to capture key demographic
information so that the membership list could be used for targeted cross promotion to the company’s
other properties.
Leveraged existing content from Developedia magazine and the Developedia Conference to create new
revenue, including DVDs of conference sessions that generated a 50% profit margin in its first year.
Implemented a weekly newsletter automatically generated from existing site content and emailed to
60,000 subscribers. The newsletter is used to promote both the annual conference and the magazine.
Conceived and led implementation of premium membership offering and grew subscriptions from zero
to 48,000 in 12 months.
Appointed to the role of Executive Director of Developedia Association. Manage team of three and
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (CONT)
MILLHOUSE INC., New York, NY
Editorial Director, Developedia magazine and Gambia.com (1998 – 1999)
1992 – 2003
Led editorial direction for Developedia magazine and Gambia.com, managing editorial and Web development
staff.
Crafted new editorial strategy which leveraged content across both products, increasing traffic to the Web
site and revenue for the magazine.
Managed major redesign of Gambia.com. The site had previously been managed by external developers
Launched the Games Festival in 1998. Acted as Chairperson and media contact, quickly establishing the
festival as a major industry event.
Managed staff of two editors and team of freelancers with responsibility for editorial content and deadlines.
Also wrote two monthly columns and created and maintained the magazine’s web site.
Received 11 awards from the American Society of Editors for Editorial Excellence between 1997 and
1998.
Key member of the launch team for Gambia.com.
Moderated panels at the Developedia Conference and Electronic Expo.
Product Review Editor, Software magazine (1994 – 1996)
Managed team of freelancers to develop and edit product reviews and coverage. Wrote monthly “New and
Noteworthy” column and managed annual product excellence awards. Worked on the launch team for
Developedia magazine.
Project Coordinator, Software Development Conference (1992 – 1994)
EDUCATION
B.A., Economics, University of Texas – Austin, TX (1991)
AFFILIATIONS/PUBLICATIONS
Advisory Board, Developedia Conference, 1997 – Present
Board of Directors, Developedia Association, 2003 – Present
Named one of the “top media influencers” of 2004 by IT Marketing magazine
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