Resumes 101
The byline, "Resumes 101," isn't meant to be catty. It's just a reminder to stick with the basics. It's very easy to get lost in the quagmire of how to package yourself on
a planet of 7 billion humans. How can a paper with words on it do justice to you and your experience, as an employee, a family member, someone with likes and dislikes?
Ahem.
We hear your silent scream.
So, rather than add to your anxiety by telling you the new trends in resume drafting, and whether you should or should not have an objective in the heading, we want you to do the following:
Chill.
Relax.
Remember: you can do this.
How? By remembering who you are as an individual.
A funny thing happens on the way to looking for work. What, you ask?
Life!
You are living! And living encompasses a lot. Every morning you wake up, look for food to eat, clean your body, and clothe yourself to stay warm. Do you need a resume to explain that? No. And whether you were working or not while waking up every day to bathe, eat, etc., you are living! That's the first thing to remember. Your resume did not start with the first job you had. Your resume started the minute you were born.
Now, we are not going to walk the reader of your resume through the stages of growth you experienced: being born, becoming a toddler, learning how to walk, attending school, dropping out of school returning to school, et cetera.
However, the resume reader is entitled to see the big picture. The resume conveys just that: the big picture of your life. The trick is in making the eyes of another human being (or computer) scan that picture and say, "I wanna meet that person!"
Ahem.
We hear your silent scream.
So, rather than add to your anxiety by telling you the new trends in resume drafting, and whether you should or should not have an objective in the heading, we want you to do the following:
Chill.
Relax.
Remember: you can do this.
How? By remembering who you are as an individual.
A funny thing happens on the way to looking for work. What, you ask?
Life!
You are living! And living encompasses a lot. Every morning you wake up, look for food to eat, clean your body, and clothe yourself to stay warm. Do you need a resume to explain that? No. And whether you were working or not while waking up every day to bathe, eat, etc., you are living! That's the first thing to remember. Your resume did not start with the first job you had. Your resume started the minute you were born.
Now, we are not going to walk the reader of your resume through the stages of growth you experienced: being born, becoming a toddler, learning how to walk, attending school, dropping out of school returning to school, et cetera.
However, the resume reader is entitled to see the big picture. The resume conveys just that: the big picture of your life. The trick is in making the eyes of another human being (or computer) scan that picture and say, "I wanna meet that person!"
Don’t worry about the latest “bells and whistles” in resumes; don't worry about the job market. A good, honest, solid resume that is up-to-date is
what you need. There is no life problem that a proper resume and cover letter cannot solve. But your resume is not a Hollywood, picture perfect story that you create on paper or video. It's your honest life, explained on paper.
Don't freak out about your resume. Look in the mirror and say, "You can do this!" Do you know why you can say that? Because you have already done it! The resume just chronicles your work life on paper.
Don't freak out about your resume. Look in the mirror and say, "You can do this!" Do you know why you can say that? Because you have already done it! The resume just chronicles your work life on paper.
There's nothing you've done or not done that can't be explained. You are telling an employer that you can help them along their life journey because you have a background that could increase their success.
What are you best at? Did you find jobs in which to exercise your gifts? Are you looking for a job now that will allow you to be of service?" That's what your resume should say.
Period.
There is no shame in living.
Let your resume reflect that fact.
What are you best at? Did you find jobs in which to exercise your gifts? Are you looking for a job now that will allow you to be of service?" That's what your resume should say.
Period.
There is no shame in living.
Let your resume reflect that fact.
