Help! I’m Writing My Resume and I Can’t Get Started!
Is there ever a time when that creative writing class is as useful as when it comes time to write or revise your resume? Or, maybe writing skills that are a little less creative and more critical would be more in order. Whichever it is, creative or critical, getting started with any writing activity is challenging. Coupled with the added pressure of writing a document that very well may determine the outcome of a job search can make resume writing a daunting task.
by Kent Palmer
Is there ever a time when that creative writing class is as useful as when it comes time to write or revise your resume? Or, maybe writing skills that are a little less creative and more critical would be more in order. Whichever it is, creative or critical, getting started with any writing activity is challenging. Coupled with the added pressure of writing a document that very well may determine the outcome of a job search can make resume writing a daunting task. There are so many sources for guidance that they can become confusing and may at times even be contradictory.
Following some basic outlines and formats is perhaps the best and easiest way to get the process underway. Understanding the basic makeup of a resume is another key consideration. A resume is a brief summary of education, work experience, and employment history that together demonstrate a job candidate’s qualifications for the sought after position. Putting that information into a document in a cohesive format is the main objective.
Once a summary of experiences is collected together and keyed into a document, the text may be manipulated into a functional, targeted, chronological, or combination format that best fits the job candidate’s situation. The most commonly used is the chronological format, so called because the candidate’s qualifications are presented in reverse order as they were acquired, beginning with the most recent experience and moving backwards to include about 10 years of work history. Lengthy employment gaps or other conditions may make the other formats more appealing for some candidates.
Help and guidance on resume writing can be found in books, on websites and in subscription online resources, either individually subscribed or through the library.
[Here are some of the more recent publications on the subject that are available at the Naperville Public Library.]
Another great resource is a database available through the library called Brainfuse Jobnow! The resume templates tool in Brainfuse Jobnow! is easy to use and most candidates can have a resume ready to go in just an hour or so. When using this database, it is best to sign in and create an account in order to access the resume lab, which supports the submission of a resume to an experienced career coach who will review it and suggest modifications. The database also offers a live chat facility that (during available hours) instantly connects to a live career coach to get specific answers about the format or content of a resume.
For further assistance with these suggestions and other business or job search related services, please contact one of our staff to set an appointment for a one-to-one consultation. We can review Brainfuse Jobnow! with you and demonstrate its powerful tools.
Lastly, one of the best ways to improve resume writing skills is to attend a workshop on the subject. The Naperville Public Library’s next Job Search Workshop will be “Business Writing in Your Job Search” on Wednesday, November 20, 2014, at the Nichols Library community room at 6:30 p.m. No registration is required.
