Resumes

["George F. Hayhoe" <gfhayhoe -at- SCESCAPE -dot- NET>]

My approach to a resume sent to prospective employers has always been to
keep it short--one or two pages, depending on your experience.

The purpose of a resume in this context is to get you an interview. Hit all
the key points (experience, capabilities, etc.) in the position
announcement, or as many as you can, and use the language in the position
announcement--that's what the resume screener (whether human or machine) is
looking for. Be sure you don't include any irrelevant information,
especially details such as age or marital status. And of course, always
include a cover letter customized to the specific job for which you're
applying.

Occasionally resumes are used for other reasons. For example, many
consultants use them in marketing their capabilities to prospective
clients. This is an opportunity to expand on the bare recitation of your
skills and experience in the shorter version, and perhaps to add details
(lists of publications, presentations, etc.) that might not appear on the
shorter version. This is a safer opportunity to take a more adventurous
approach in format and organization.

--George Hayhoe (gfhayhoe -at- scescape -dot- net)

George Hayhoe Associates
Voice: 803-642-2156
Fax: 803-642-9325
http://www.scescape.net/~gfhayhoe

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