Since first writing this article in 2001, much has changed about the way you apply for a promotion. Computer technology has advanced to the point that employers are able to identify potential candidates, both from inside and outside of the company, much more easily than ever before. Computers have also made the way you apply much more impersonal. To win the coveted interview, you now have to apply the same marketing fundamentals applied to internet promotion. Resumes are no longer seen by a person. You will submit the application electronically and a computer will evaluate it for a match with the company's requirements. In many cases, you will fill out the company's form on a web site, never getting to submit your resume in its true form.
If you are convinced you should do a video resume, remember that you must also have a written one. While video resumes are a good presentation type for some careers, you should always start out by creating a written version. The process of creating the written resume will help you work out the way you want to present yourself on video. It is never a good idea to go into video taping without a clear understanding of who you are and what you want to do.
You should always start your resume preparation process by researching the company and looking up recent job postings. What they state in the job postings will provide clues into what the company feels is important. Do not limit yourself to the posting for the job you are applying to. Look at every posting for the department listed in the posts. What key words can you pick out of the postings? These key words and terms must be included in your resume if you are ever to stand a chance of getting your resume seen by a real person. Once you have this, make a list detailing your business experience.
The form of your resume is not as important as the content is, no matter what you may hear or think. You can’t design a resume if you don’t have solid qualifications and relevant, quantifiable results to put into it. You need to find out who you are, what experiences qualify you for the position you are applying for, and what benefit you brought to each position.
To do this, start with your current position, and work back through your career. Include any duties you performed in community service or volunteer service positions. Choose volunteer jobs carefully to be certain they won't cause you to be rejected due to the nature of the work. Remember, you will be asked about the items on your resume, and they will be checked with your current and former employers, so you must be able to quantify the items listed.
This may sound like a no-brainer, but with the process changing from paper-based resumes to electronic ones, you will have to develop two versions of your resume. Doing this, however, will mean that one design will be the one you submit electronically, and the other will be the one you present in person. I won't spend a lot of time discussing how to format your resume for each type of presentation in this article. For that, you can contact me and we can discuss your options together. I provide resume coaching services for a reasonable fee. What I do want to present are the items that should be in your resume.
Not all employers will list the same requirements, or if they do list similar requirements, they are not in the same order. The order of the list tells you the importance of each requirement listed. Pay careful attention to this, and rearrange the order of the accomplishments on you resume to match their order as closely as possible. This makes it easier for the employer to see you as a good match to their position. Remember to include the employer's key words in your resume; however, caution should be taken to ensure the words are used in in proper context, and are not just randomly thrown onto the page.
About TML Business Services LLC
TML Business Services LLC has over 27 years of senior management experience and more than 12 years of strategic business analysis and project implementation experience. We have been providing risk analysis and software integration services to business and government agencies since 1998 and are available to discuss your needs with you. We have also provided resume consulting services to many people who have gone on to be hired or promoted. No two engagements are alike, and using our proven methodology, we can provide the level of service you or your company are seeking. Contact TML Business Services LLC today and get started on a path to realizing your company's vision!