JOBTALKS
Targeting
Your Resume
Indiana University
Kelley School of Business
C. Randall Powell, Ph.D
Contents used in this presentation are adapted from Career Planning Strategies
and used with the permission of the author.
Targeting
Your
Resume
 Career Success/Goals
 Resumes lead to interviews
 What you want to do!
 Target to your customer
Your Resume As A Tool
Cover Letters/Emails Support Your Resume
You must summarize
credentials
and tell what you
want to do
Future Goals Count
What do you
want to do?
What are your
job options?
How do you plan to use your talents?
Discuss Goals on Resume and/or Cover Letter/Email
Goals Build
Motivation!
Summarize
background
Capability
for
success
Recruiters need to
know what motivates
you!
Goals are evaluated by Potential Employers
from Your Resume and/or Cover Letter
BEFORE deciding to interview you!
Career Resources
Many Methods of Resume Referral
Your
Partners
Your Network
Others will:
Refer resumes
Recommend
Arrange interviews
But take advantage of all sources!
Leveraging Your Potential
Cash or leverage investment
Healthy returns via leverage
Alumni praise assistance
Use leverage
Provide detailed information for your PARTNERS to use
Networking for Success
Start with basic resume/cover email
Market your talents/Polish the ads
Create a network distribution system
SEND MATERIALS ELECTRONICALLY!
This makes it easier for a partner
to share your information with others
Network Partner is Ace in the Hole
Broker concept/Unpaid partner
Don’t do it all yourself
Goal: sell toward specific job options
Your Plan: Get a personal interview
Brokers package and present for you
Help your partners create your
“Promotional Package”
The
Marketing
Hook
One-page summary resume
Present a positive outlook
Advertising brochure/portfolio
Builds foundation for interview
Multi-page “Informational Portfolio”
Your Portfolio Allows Your Partners to
Get to Know You Better
Hallmark of Excellence




Reflects upon others
Reflects upon you
Reflects upon university
Reflects upon your profession
Partners will not share sloppy
Resumes
Cover letters
Portfolios
If you do it right, your resume
will make you stand out!
YOUR MARKETING STATEMENT
Invest In Your Resume!
Quality Resume = Leverage
Materials that Circulate Create Powerful Leverage
…IF…
Network Partners Circulate
Your Portfolio…
Leveraging your
investment returns
handsome profits!
Partner Synergy
creates dividends for YOU!
Partners will not refer until your materials are top notch!
Employers are Fire-Fighters
Employers are short-term thinkers
– Fire-fighters need quick solutions
– Help fight fires by offering your solutions
–
Best Fire-Fighters
Available
Target the Hot Spots
 Identify problems needing
solutions
 Focus your efforts
 Show how your resources can
help
Your Portfolio of Talents can help put out the fires IF….
Professionally presented before your job interview
Plan From Within
Get Inside
Organization
Plan Career From
Inside
How do you get
inside?
Get your foot in the door and other
options will open later.
Resumes/Cover Emails/Portfolios
Get You An Interview
Why would they want
to interview you?
Because….
Best Fire-Fighter
and Problem Solver
Why Select YOU To Interview?
Your Promotional Package Must….
 Prove Qualifications (Can Do)
 Support Your Motivation (Will Do)
Say what you want to do!
Other candidates have similar credentials.
Discuss your motivations and interests.
Visions Invite
Your objective says more about you
than just your capabilities!
They reveal the Real person!
Values
Interests
Personal Qualities
Will this opportunity motivate you
to excel?
Prove it!—First on paper
Career Objective is Critical!
Tell employer what you
want to do.
Do aspirations meet
credentials?
Your Partners have
credibility.
Your Interview will support
this confidence in you!!
Vision’s Excite
Career Objective
No Career Objective Says:
Selling
qualifications
alone falls
short
I can do everything!
I'll do anything!
You decide for me!
Career Objective
Only Interview Qualified Candidates, the Body of the
Resume, and Your Partner’s Input qualify you for the
interview
The “STARS” emerge during the interview by
assessing your vision
You may need more than one resume!
 One general purpose resume
 Resumes that target specific jobs
EMPLOYER'S GOAL
Job Openings = Applicant’s Qualifications
match
The tight fit comes from a review of your behavioral competencies.
Will you be the best STAR?
Your Goal
Get resume read by as many potential
employers as possible.
Your Partner’s credibility
helps land the interview
You want employers to follow up!
You will shine in the interview!
CAREER OBJECTIVE
Specific
General
Delicate Balance
Often Employer-Specific
Getting Comfortable
"A+" Perfection
Takes Time



Learn as you write
Improvement is a process
Refine later (continuous
improvement)
Invest
Energies
Early
Career Objectives
I want to...
I am qualified to...
Multiple but interrelated goals
Targeted Resumes
Differentiate by Objective
General Purpose Resume
Put Career Objectives on Cover Letter, not on Your Resume
 Mention Several Options
 Share With Network Partners
Where Do You Get Ideas
For Your Career
Objective Statement?
 Books
 Role Models
 Faculty
 Want Ads
 Counselors
 Job Descriptions
WRITING CAREER
OBJECTIVES
Show:
 Knowledge Of Field
 Qualifications
 Interest
 Ambition
Writing Career Objectives
AVOID
Narrow
Geographic
Restrictions
Inflexible
Attitudes
Restrictive
Availability
Heck, I don't
care where in
Western
Colorado,
Southeastern
Utah, or Vermont
I work...
Incorporate Ideas
•
•
•
•
•
Career Interests
Specific Job
Advancement Path
Use Jargon
Summarize Skills
Job Title
 Actual Job Seeking
 1-3 Descriptive Words
 Paragraph Heading
 Boldface/Capitalize
SALES REPRESENTATIVE - Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Read Between the Lines
Illustrations Follow
Employer Inferences
Clever Choice of Words
Typical Examples
Learn from examples
Verbose/illustrative
Unacceptable Career Objectives
•
•
•
•
Monetarily be upper middle class
To take part in the community
To be very successful in all of my life
To be the best in my occupation and to
strive for the top position
• To work with people
MOLD TOGETHER
Your Background
values
interests
personality
skills
Job Opportunities
duties
skills
specifications
responsibilities
CAREER OBJECTIVE
Advancement Potential
Interest
Knowledge of Field
Skills
Ambition
Career Progress
Emphasis on Career, Not Job
You Are Ready!
Deal with short-term fire fighting mentality
Target hot-buttons/tell them what they want to hear
Let Resume Prove You Can Be A Super Fire-Fighter!
MANY
HOURS
REQUIRED
JOBTALKS
Targeting Your Resume
Indiana University
Kelley School of Business
C. Randall Powell, Ph.D.
If you would like to
learn more, Career
Planning Strategies
textbook will supply
additional information
on this topic.
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