Your Resume is Your Marketing Tool
A resume is your personal marketing tool, and you need to use it properly. Always think of your resume as a selling tool that outlines your skills and achievements.
A resume is designed to do one thing and that is to get you an interview. If you are not getting interviews then it is probably your resume that will need to be modified.
There are two basic types of resume styles; the chronological resume and the functional or skill based resume. Choosing the right type of resume will depend on your personal job search situation.
Chronological Resume
These types of resumes list your job history beginning with your present or most recent position. People who can show a long employment history may choose the chronological resume as the one that best fits their situation.
Skilled Based Resume
These types of resumes emphasize your abilities without providing detailed background information on where and when you acquired these skills. The functional resume which can downplay your work history is suitable for people with gaps on their employment or entering new careers.
Your Cover Letter is Your Differentiator
An effective cover letter will set you apart from your competition. A letter in response to an advertised position is the most common and is customized to fit the job specifications.
Marketing letters are more general in nature and are designed to introduce you to a potential employer for future consideration (bearing in mind that 80% of all jobs are not advertised).
Your cover letter combined with your resume make a powerful job application. It goes without saying that a good cover letter is pointless if your resume is not up to the same standard.
When developing your marketing letter or cover letter you need to keep these questions in mind:
- Who am I targeting?
- What is the purpose of my letter?
- Does it answer the question “why should we interview you?”
Goodwill can assist you to create a resume and cover letter that will get noticed by employers in a number of ways:
- One-on-one assistance with a Career Development Specialist
- Information and access to a computer in our job search areas
- Feedback and resume critiques to ensure that you are utilizing the best resume and cover letter possible
Join us for our next resumes and cover letters workshop to learn how to market yourself to target industries.