Customize Your Resume
to Get the Job You Want
David Marwick and Len Schwartz
for JobAssist.org
August 12, 2013
Hosted by Kemp Mill Education Center
www.kmedcenter.com/
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Overview
• Why customize your resume
• How to customize--four steps
• Wrap-up
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Why Customize Your Resume
• Companies
– In buyer’s market, looking for
“perfect” candidate
– Receive many applications per
opening
– Reduced HR staffs
– Use computers for initial screen
Finding the right applicant is like
finding a needle in a haystack
• Applicants
– Many people looking for jobs
– Little cost to email another resume
– Time-consuming to customize a
resume, and most people do not do
so
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Find a Job You’re Well Qualified for
• Invest time up front in analyzing job openings: Are you a good
fit?
• Recent study found
– Job seekers spent little time
• deciding whether a position was suitable.
• reviewing job description and job requirements
– 65% of applicants did not meet basic requirements
• experience
• education
• skills
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Job Posting for Nurse Manager
Position: Nurse Manager, Ventilation Unit
7 stated “requirements” ( = 6 required + 1 desired)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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BS in Nursing
3+ years of clinical nursing experience
2+ years of supervisory/management experience
Ventilator Unit experience desired
Meets requirements of MD Nurse Practice Act
MD Registered Nurse license
Effective oral communication skills
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Introducing the Qualifications Matrix
A tool to help determine whether you are well qualified for a
specific job posting
Qualification
Relevant Education and Experience
Required
Desired (but Not Required)
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Analysis of Nurse Manager Posting
Qualification
Relevant Education and Experience
Required
BS in Nursing
BS, Nursing, Clark College, Utica, NY, 2009
3+ years of clinical nursing experience
3.5 years experience = 2 years at Jones Hospital + 1.5
years at Smith Hospital
2+ years of supervisory experience
1.5 years as Nursing Supervisor, Smith Hospital
Meets requirements of MD Nurse
Practice Act
Assured unit’s compliance with MD Nurse Practice Act
MD Registered Nurse License
MD Registered Nurse License 5678
Effective oral communication skills
Chosen to provide oral briefings to hospital board of
governors, 2013
Desired (but Not Required)
Ventilator Unit experience
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Worked on ventilator unit, Jones Hospital, 2011
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To Apply or Not?
• Types of qualifications
– Objective = Yes/No
• BS in Nursing
• 2+ years supervisory experience
– Subjective
• Effective oral communication skills
• Don’t be too literal
– Wiggle room even on yes/no qualifications
• They want 2+ years of supervisory experience; Jane has 1.5 years
– May be multiple ways to meet some criteria
• How demonstrate “effective oral communication skills”?
• The 80/20 rule
– Employers often “ask for the moon”
– If you meet 80% of required qualifications, go for it
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Resume: Overview
• Purpose
– A means to an end => interview
– Demonstrate qualifications for a
specific job
– It’s not about you; it’s about
what you can do for employer
Use your resume to show that
you are the needle in the haystack
• Length
– 1 page if <10 years
– 2-page maximum
– Zero-sum game
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Resume: Basic Modules
• Five basic modules
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
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Contact info
Work experience
Education/training
Computer skills
Other
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Module A:
Contact Information
•
•
•
•
•
•
General Approach
Nurse Manager
Name
Address
Phone
Email address
LinkedIn address (usually)
Professional license number, if
applicable
[CONTACT INFORMATION]
Jane R. Doe
123 Oak Street
123.456.7890
Ames, MD 22111
jane.doe@gmail.com
MD Registered Nurse License 5678
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Module B:
Work Experience
General Approach
Nurse Manager
NURSING EXPERIENCE
•
•
•
•
Sequence
– Most recent job first
– Then work backwards for <10 years
Directly relevant vs. other experience
For each job
– Title, employer, location, dates
– For lesser-known employer, explain
briefly, provide URL
– Volunteer work counts
Emphasize/quantify results
– Not a job description
– Challenge/Action/Result (CAR) format
– If applicable, refer to computer skills
Nursing Supervisor
2012-present
Smith Hospital, Ames, MD www.smithhospital.com
•
Supervised 5 nurses in cardiology unit with average of 14
patients per shift
•
Reduced unit’s infection rate by 12% by implementing
new cleanliness protocols
•
Unit received “Excellent” or better grade on every
quarterly review of compliance with MD Nurse Practice
Act
•
Chosen to provide oral briefings to hospital board of
governors, 2011 and 2012
•
Recognized as Nurse of the Month, Jan. 2013
Floor Nurse
2010-2011
Jones Hospital, Troy, NY
www.troyhospital.com
•
Worked on ventilator unit (1 year)
•
Responsible for average of 6 patients per shift
•
Rookie of the Year award, 2010
OTHER EXPERIENCE
Sales Clerk, Walmart, Troy, NY
summers 2007, 2008
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Module C:
Education/Training
General Approach
•
•
•
New entrants—before Work
Experience
Experienced workers—after Work
Experience
What to include
– List highest degree first, back to
BA/BS
– New entrants: List key courses,
term papers, etc.
– Recent courses, webinars,
conferences in your field
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Nurse Manager
EDUCATION/TRAINING
•
•
“Reducing Infections” 3-day workshop, Yale
BA, Nursing, Clark College, Utica, NY
– Deans List, 2006, 2007
– President, Future Nurses of America
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2009
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Module D:
Computer Skills
• List computer skills most relevant to target job
– Only current versions
– Incorporate into Challenge/Action/Result (CAR)
statements
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Module E:
Other
• Can list other activities, interests
– If relevant to job opening
– If demonstrate character, initiative
• Examples:
– Volunteer activity
– Sports, especially high-level competition
– Foreign travel
– Foreign languages
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Nursing Manager Resume
[CONTACT INFO]
Jane R. Doe
MD Registered Nurse License 5678
123 Oak Street
Anywhere, CA
123.456.7890
jane.doe@gmail.com
NURSING EXPERIENCE
Nursing Supervisor
2012-present
Smith Hospital, Ames, MD www.smithhospital.com
•
Supervised 5 nurses in cardiology unit with average of 14 patients per shift
•
Unit received “Excellent” or better grade on every quarterly review of compliance with MD Nurse Practice Act
•
Reduced unit’s infection rate by 12% by implementing new cleanliness protocols
•
Selected to provide oral briefings to hospital’s board of governors, 2011 and 2012
•
Recognized as Nurse of the Month, Jan. 2013
Floor Nurse
Jones Hospital, Troy, MD www.troyhospital.com
•
Worked on ventilation unit (1 year)
•
Responsible for average of 6 patients per shift
•
Chosen as “Rookie of the Year—2010”
2010-2011
[OTHER EXPERIENCE]
•
•
EDUCATION/TRAINING
“Reducing Infections” 3-day workshop, Yale University, New Haven, CT
BS, Nursing, Clark College, Utica, NY
Deans List, 2008, 2009
President, Future Nurses of America
[COMPUTER/OTHER SKILLS]
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2009
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Job Posting for Program Associate
Position: Program Associate, Jewish Community Relations Council
Requirements:
• Bachelors degree
• 2+ years professional experience; event planning, community relations or
communications/marketing experience preferred
• The following professional skills are required: excellence in writing, organization,
strategic thinking, time management, and interpersonal communication
• Ability to self-motivate, prioritize, work independently and complete multiple
assignments with attention to detail in a fast paced, rapidly changing environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and willing to learn JCRC’s software platform
• Excellent understanding of Middle Eastern affairs, a passion for Israel, and a
proven ability to be innovative in support for Israel
• Ability to work some nights and an occasional Sunday
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Analysis of Program Associate Posting
Qualification
Relevant Education and Experience
Required
Bachelors degree
2+ years professional experience
Excellence in writing
Excellence in organization
Excellence in strategic thinking
Excellence in time management
Excellence in interpersonal communication
Ability to self-motivate, prioritize, work independently . . .
Proficient in Microsoft Office and willing to learn JCRC’s software platform
Excellent understanding of Middle Eastern affairs
Passion for Israel and proven ability to be innovative in support of Israel
Ability to work some nights and an occasional Sunday
Desired (but Not Required)
Event planning, community relations, or communications/marketing experience preferred
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Wrap-up
• Explained why you need to customize your resume.
• Showed how to customize your resume in four steps
1. Find a suitable job
2. Use Qualifications Matrix to analyze the job opening’s
requirements and your relevant education and
experience
3. Incorporate your relevant education and experience into
each of five resume modules
4. Assemble the modules to create a resume
• Customizing applies equally to cover letters
• The final slide lists a few excellent resources
• Questions/comments?
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Resources
•
“Why Job Seekers Don't Land Jobs.” In an excellent 7-minute video, a Wharton Professor explains why the hiring process is
frustrating for employers and job seekers, June 5, 2012.
http://online.wsj.com/video/why-job-seekers-dont-land-jobs/7951AB32-2509-473A-AB14-09B09E6CBDC0.html
•
“10 Reasons Why You Aren't Getting Hired,” by Miriam Salpeter, 07.17.13
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2013/07/10/reasons-didnt-get-hired/
•
“10 Reasons Your Resume Isn't Getting You Interviews,” by Alison Green, August 13, 2012
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/08/13/10-reasons-your-resume-isnt-getting-youinterviews
•
“4 Signs You Shouldn’t Bother Applying to a Job,” by Katie Douthwaite, 03.05.13
http://www.thedailymuse.com/job-search/4-signs-you-shouldnt-bother-applying-to-a-job/
•
“The Difference Between A Good And Bad Job Opportunity,” by Heather R. Huhman, 02.19.13
http://comerecommended.com/publish2/4-ways-to-spot-a-good-job-opportunity-from-a-bad-one
•
“How We Really Read Job Ads,” by Lauren Weber, 05.02.13
http://blogs.wsj.com/atwork/2013/05/02/how-we-really-read-job-ads/
•
“Why the Job Search Is Like 'Throwing Paper Airplanes into the Galaxy‘,” 02.29.12
http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2947#.UgJLetHaNPg.gmail
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