3.Identifying Your Skills, Talents and Personal Qualifications

Most people feel a bit uneasy when it comes to talking about (or talking up) what they do well. No one likes a braggart; so few people feel comfortable bragging about themselves. If we hold dear what our mothers taught us, we might never find a job - because we would forever be imagining ourselves as less qualified than the next guy or gal.

Since you are the right person for the job, however, the rules can be bent. During the job search, the motto is this: It's okay to boast as long as you have something to boast about. Still feel like you don't have anything much to talk about? You are not alone.

But you are mistaken: Like most people, you have hundreds of skills. How can this be? You never learned how to boast, to explain the myriad skills you have or to express your own aptitude to others.

The fact is, you probably take for granted many things you do well that others would find hard or even impossible to do. That is what sets you apart from others and makes you valuable to prospective employers.

A note on skills vs. duties...Many people find it difficult to distinguish their skills from their duties. Duties are the basic functions of an activity, while skills are the tools by which one accomplishes those functions. Duties or functions are part of any organized activity, whether it is work or play.

A simple way to illustrate the difference between duties and skills is to consider the management of a lemonade stand. The basic duties of a lemonade stand owner might be: "To manage lemonade operations, including marketing, distribution and finances."

There are many skills he or she might need to carry out these functions. Some examples of those skills are: mixing, measuring, planning, sales, customer service, writing, cash handling, record keeping, maintenance, timeliness, dependability, accuracy, and motivation. A complete list of skills would be very long, but the important point to remember is that it takes a number of skills to accomplish even the most simple duties or functions.

Developing Your Skills Language

In order to identify your skills, you must know where to look for them. There are three areas that you should inquire into: previous jobs, personal traits and specific talents. Each area corresponds to a particular type of skill.

Job-Related Skills. These are the skills you need to do a specific job, and the ones you have developed in or for past jobs. An auto mechanic, for example, needs to know how to tune engines, repair brakes and use a variety of tools. These are all skills that he or she would need to repair cars. They are job-related skills, and most people think of job skills when they are asked what kind of skills they have.

Adaptive Skills or Self-Management Skills. These skills can also be defined as personality traits or personal characteristics. Such skills are those that you use day by day to get along with others or to adjust to a particular situation. They are skills that make you unique. For example, honesty and enthusiasm are traits that employers look for in a good worker, as evidence of how he or she will "fit" into the organization. While many job seekers do not emphasize these skills in Resumés, employers look for them.

Transferable Skills. These are skills that can transfer from one job or occupation to another. Because most people do not find jobs identical to their previous ones, it is important to determine how your skills transfer into other opportunities. Writing clearly and the ability to organize things are two examples of transferable skills that you can employ in almost any work situation.
Transferable skills generally fall into five categories:

Communication: the skillful expression, transmission and interpretation of knowledge and ideas
Research and Planning: the search for specific knowledge and the ability to conceptualize future needs and to devise solutions for meeting those needs
Human Relations: the use of interpersonal skills for resolving conflict, helping and relating to people
Organization, Management and Leadership: the ability to supervise, direct and guide individuals and groups in the completion of tasks and fulfillment of goals
Work Survival: the day-to-day skills that assist in promoting effective production and work satisfaction. (to be continued)

4.Targeting Your Resumé

Writing Your Objective or Career Summary

First of all, targeting your Resumé to an employer requires absolute clarity as to the direction in which you want to take your career. You could start by naming the position you intend to pursue. However, simply listing the title of the job you're seeking can be risky. There are over 20,000 job titles in use today-far too many for you or anyone else to really know well. Every work environment is different. You might be delighted to work in one place and entirely miserable working in another. Both situations could look very much the same. They could even have the same job title. This is why you should include an Objective or a Career Summary at the beginning of your Resumé. You want employers to know from the outset what you want to do, as well as what you want to prove you're qualified to do. A focused and well written Objective or Career Summary should convey a powerful message to employers-that there is a perfect "fit" between you and their organization.

If you're making a career change or are a recent graduate, use an Objective...An Objective should include information on the type of position you seek and the most compelling qualities, abilities or accomplishments that will make you stand out from the other applicants. Here are the basic formulae:

OBJECTIVE: "To secure X position in an organization where Y and Z skills would be utilized."

OBJECTIVE: "To secure a position in X in which I may employ Y and Z."

The point of using an Objective is to create a psychological response in an employer by getting him or her to immediately focus on where you're going with your career, rather than where you have (or have not) been.

If you're looking for a new job in the same field, use a Career Summary...A Career Summary highlights your background and provides a brief overview of your most important qualifications, skills and/or professional experience. Here's the basic formula:

CAREER SUMMARY:

A short phrase describing your profession
Two or three additional statements relating to:
the breadth or depth of your skills
the unique combination of skills you possess
your innovative approach to the work
the range of environments in which you have experience
your history of awards, promotions or commendations
your special or well-documented accomplishments in the field
A sentence describing your professional objective or interest
Choosing the Right Resumé Format for You

Resumé format refers not to the design or look of your Resumé but to how you organize and emphasize the information you use to back-up your Objective or Career Summary. It is important to choose a Resumé format that will best suit your individual background. The idea is to format your Resumé in a way that best presents you-your skills, personal traits and work experience-to a prospective employer.

There are three basic types of Resumés: Chronological, Functional and Combination.

The chronological format gives a job-by-job retelling of your experience. It's the traditional favourite of employers because it reads quickly and enables them to spot flaws easily. The skills-based functional format emphasizes what you can do rather than what you have done and where you did it. Finally, the combination format merges skills summaries with job histories, which allows job seekers to place their most marketable skills and experiences at the forefront of their Resumés.

The Chronological Resumé cites your employment history in reverse chronological order, from your most recent position back. It shows dates as well as employers and educational institutions (college, vocational/technical schools and career-oriented programs or courses). This is an up-front format: It demonstrates exactly how and where your career has progressed, underscoring continuity from job to job.
Who Should Write a Chronological Resumé?

This format is best for people with a steady work history, which reflects constant growth or lateral movement.
It is important that your experience be extremely relevant to the position(s) you're seeking. Having a proven track record in one field or industry does little to convince employers in another field or industry that you're worth hiring. Chronological Resumés are not for people looking to make significant transitions in their careers--like changing fields.
It helps if your recent job titles are impressive; they get an employer's attention.
This is not the best format for someone with blemishes on his or her work history: gaps, demotions, stagnation in a single position, job hopping, and recent re-entry into the workforce can give employers pause.
The Functional Resumé highlights your diverse range of abilities and transferable skills, while downplaying your job history. This format offers a lot of flexibility insofar as you can vary the categories of skills and abilities you choose to highlight, which allows you to focus on your specific qualifications for the position.
Who Should Write a Functional Resumé?

This format is perfect for career changers, recent graduates and people with gaps or problems in their employment histories.
People looking to change industries or to work in a new field should use Functional Resumés. They allow you to emphasize skills that support your objective and relate to your field of interest. It's like serving up your functional skills on a silver platter. This format uses unpaid and/or non-work-related experience to your best advantage.
The Combination Resumé includes elements of both the chronological and functional formats. It satisfies demands for employment timelines, and it showcases your most marketable skills and impressive accomplishments. The advantage of this format is that it allays any possible concerns about your work experience, while allowing you to emphasize your talents and how you might utilize them in the position you're seeking.
Who Should Write a Combination Resumé?

This format is particularly useful for people looking to increase their responsibilities or pursue higher-level positions in their current field. Combination Resumés help you to demonstrate the skills you have to do a job, even though you might not have a proven track record in that particular position (but have prior experience in that field or industry). (to be continued)

5.A Note on References...

Ideally, your reference list should include three to five employers or other professionals who have extensive, first-hand knowledge of your background and expertise. Personal references are also acceptable, but certainly less preferable than professional ones. In either case, your references should be able to familiarize employers with your work habits.

It's a good idea to supply references to potential employers...but not on your Resumé. Employers will ask for references if and when they want to see that list - and are deciding whether to hire you. It is perfectly acceptable (and clearly desirable) to conclude your Resumé with this line: "References available upon request."

NOTE: Be sure to notify your references that you're including their names on your reference list. This will ensure that they are prepared to answer questions about you and to reiterate all the reasons you are a valuable employee.

Each of your references should follow the same format:

The person's name
His or her position or job title
The company at which he or she is currently employed
The company's full address
A phone number where he or she can be reached during working hours (usually this is his or her office phone number)
These days, most employers actually call references...unlike a few years ago. The assumption used to be that contacting references was pointless because they would always report favorably on the candidate in question.

However, experience has shown that many job hunters give the wrong kind of references - ones that don't exist at all, who know nothing about the candidate or, worst of all, who have negative feelings about him or her.

Pick people whom you know, trust, respect and who truly want to help you land a job. Stellar references can put you on the fast track, and bad references can knock you out of the running altogether.

Be honest in your Resumé. This is a new millennium. Technology now allows employers to check every detail themselves, or even hire someone else to do it for them. If you choose to fib in your Resumé, chances are you'll get caught somewhere down the line. Don't make any claims you wouldn't otherwise enjoy backing up.(to be continued)

6.Including Additional Information on Your Resumé

Presenting Your Educational Background in the Best Light

Many people assume it's necessary to list their academic credentials--the degrees they earned and the schools they attended--near the top of their Resumé. This is not always necessary.

How much emphasis employers place on your educational background depends on whether the job you're seeking requires specific scholastic training or certification.

If it does, you would do well to place your Education section where potential employers will notice it. You want the material at the top of your Resumé to pique the employer's interest so he or she will want to continue reading it.

Highlight the details of your education by placing it at the top of the Resumé if...

You're a recent college graduate.
Academic training is a fundamental qualification for the position you're seeking.
You have an advanced degree or quite specific training as opposed to a lot of related work experience in the profession you're pursuing.
NOTE: If you did not attend college or have a general education degree (GED), it would probably be a good idea to eliminate the Education section entirely. Your Resumé is the place to highlight your strengths.

HINT: If you started but failed to complete a degree or certification program, list your primary areas of study [your Major(s) and Minor(s)], followed by the last year you were enrolled as a student. In many cases, employers will mistake this as your date of graduation, which can only work in your favour.

HINT: If you have completed some graduate coursework, but do not intend to complete a degree, you should note that you "Completed graduate coursework in XYZ" below your undergraduate degree.

Here's the formula for listing your educational credentials:

Name of the college or University, followed by the city and state in which it's located.
Degree (e.g., BA, BS, MA, etc.), followed by concentration (e.g., English Language and Literature, Chemistry, Marketing, etc.)
What Else Should I Include in the Education Section of My Resumé?

The Education section of your Resumé doesn't just have to be a list of degrees and certification you've received. It can also include things like your GPA (if it was 3.0 or higher), courses you took that are especially relevant to the field in which you want to work, if you completed any special projects employers might be impressed by, or if you studied abroad. However, be sure the additional education-related data you include on your Resumé isn't just filler. Employers hate reading filler, and you don't want anything to turn employers off to your candidacy.

Other Possible Sections of Your Resumé

Everyone's background is unique. In fact, you may want to include information on your Resumé that someone else might not choose to include there. When you introduce additional categories, you are identifying additional skills sets. Therefore, the challenge is to determine how to organize such information in categories, which will allow employers to quickly find the information they believe is most pertinent to hiring decisions. You might consider including categories like:

Internships
Special Projects
Civic Activities or Community Involvement
Awards and Honours
Languages
Licenses
Certifications
Professional Development Training
Computer Skills
Affiliations or Associations
Travels
As a rule of thumb, your resumé shouldn't exceed two pages in length...You should avoid adding pages to your resumé for the sake of introducing supplementary categories ad nauseum. Less is definitely more when it comes to Resumé writing. Use space wisely (and spare your readers the hassle of skimming) by including information that potential employers will want - and need - to read.

NOTE: You should never include personal information on your Resumé. Topics that are out-of-bounds include: height, weight, age, and political or religious affiliation. Not only are such things "filler" items, they also create the potential for discrimination. Remember: You don't want to give potential employers any reason not to hire you.

Additional Categories: A Questionnaire

The following questions are meant to prompt your thinking about additional skills to include on your resumé.

Have you ever participated in seminars, workshops or professional development programs? If so, what were they and who sponsored them?
What computer/technical skills do you possess?
Do you have any designations/licenses/certifications? If so, which ones?
Which foreign languages do you speak fluently? Which do you speak conversationally?
What industry/job-related accolades, honours or awards have you earned?
Which professional or career-related organizations are you involved in?
In what organizations have you held leadership roles? What skills did you gain and what did you accomplish in these roles?
What civic organizations or volunteer activities are you involved in?
Are you willing to relocate?
Quick Resumé-Writing Tips

Resumés are a special kind of written discourse, so they don't follow the same rules as other kinds of writing. Here are three ways that Resumés differ from everyday writing:

Resumés never use the personal pronoun "I." Even though you do not use "I" in your Resumé, you still need to use the first-person verb form-the speaking "I" is implied. For example, it is appropriate to say "Manage a staff of 100", but not "Manages a staff of 100." You're speaking for yourself, not about yourself.
The verb tense that you use should be timely. If you are writing about the present, use the present tense; if you are writing about past events or accomplishments, use the past tense. Make sure to use the past tense even if the events you are describing occurred while you were in your current job.
Resumés do not use vague words like "etc." or phrases like "same as above." Although you have limited space in you Resumé, you don't want to seem lazy. You need to create vivid impressions about your capabilities in the minds of potential employers. They need to know that previous employers appreciated your contributions and thought they were unique. "Etc." and "same as above" are shortcut phrases that sound vague and unoriginal.
Resumés do not include "filler" information. The following kinds of information should generally be left out of a Resumé:
Your reasons for leaving a job
Street addresses of employers
Your hobbies or other outside interests (to be continued)

7.Writing the Cover Letter that Gets Your Resumé; Noticed

Composing Your Cover Letter

Cover letters should be more than just wrapping paper for your Resumé. They should set you apart from other candidates by providing a sense of how you think and your eagerness to work for a particular organization. Most of all, they should give readers a compelling reason to want to interview you, one that includes both your qualifications and the vitality you can bring to a job.

Unlike a Resumé, cover letters are narratives. You can use highly descriptive and persuasive sentences to evoke a positive response from your reader. Moreover, this format allows you to incorporate information, which reflects your knowledge of the target company (e.g., its industry, relevant issues, potential opportunities, etc.). The cover letter is an opportunity to provide customized information beyond what's in your Resumé-information that can tweak an employer's interest in your candidacy.

Like a Resumé, a cover letter contains several critical components:

The Heading. Remember to put your full name, address, phone number and e-mail at the top of the page. If your address changes during your job search, send another Resumé and cover letter for the position that interests you. HR departments won't bother to change the information on your first version.
The First Paragraph. This is the introductory section of your cover letter. In the first paragraph, you should state how you learned about the job opening and your reason for sending the employer your Resumé. If you're applying for a specific position, be sure to include that information in the first sentence of your introduction.
If you've researched the company, be sure to mention why you're interested in it. You will differentiate yourself from the pack by making allusions to the company's products, philosophy or reputation. Be sincere, and employers will appreciate your interest in their organizations.
If you know someone at the company, feel free to drop a name-if that person appreciates your work and will speak highly (and unambiguously) of your abilities.
The Second Paragraph. Among hiring officials, the buzz word these days is "value offered." Explain the particular benefits you offer an employer. Not only will it get the employer's attention, it will distinguish you as a job hunter whose goal is to do the job rather than just get a job. Use this section of your cover letter to discuss your value as an employee over and above the information in your Resumé.
Talk about your transferable skills, such as being a self-starter and having excellent organizational abilities. Cite a specific reason why you're the ideal candidate for the position, then customize your letter to prove or demonstrate that point.
Don't rehash your Resumé. Focus instead on two or three qualities that distinguish you most. Also, try to connect these qualities to the position's key requirements. If you have a particular area of expertise, this is the place to bring it up.
The Closing Paragraph. Before concluding your letter, tell the employer you'll follow up to confirm receipt of your Resumé and set up a time for a face-to-face interview. Always assume that an employer will respond positively to your request, and thank him or her in advance for granting the interview.
Consider writing one standard cover letter...and then personalizing it as necessary. Your standard letter would include a general description of your skills and abilities. It would also highlight the most marketable aspects of your background.

The primary advantage to writing a standard cover letter is that you only have to write a great letter once. Once you've created it, all you will have to do is modify the introduction the next time you want to send your Resumé to a perspective employer. Of course, you don't want the employer to assume that the cover letter is part of a mass mailing campaign. Including the company's name and the position you're interested in makes your cover letter seem as though it was written specifically for that prospective employer and his or her company.
(to be continued)

8.Some Eye-Catching Phrases

The following phrases will add energy to statements about your work-related duties and accomplishments.

HINT: Consider integrating other power words into these basic formulas.

Acted as liaison for/between...
Assigned territory consisting of...
Accounted for...
Drew up...
Mapped out...
Handled a territory spanning...
Promoted to...
Instrumental in...
Recipient of...
Remained as...
Innovation resulted in...
Honoured as...
...amounting to a total savings of...
Recommendations accepted by...
Adept at...
Assisted with...
Took charge of...
Proven track record in...
Experience involved/included...
More than X years experience in...
Expertise and demonstrated skills in...
Successful in/at...
Experienced in all facets/phases...

Knowledge of...
Experienced as...
Extensive training in...
Extensive involvement in...
Initially employed as...
Specialized in...
Proficient in...
Competent at...
Temporarily assigned to...
Sales quota accountability...
Reported directly to...
Served/Operated as...
In charge of...
Direct/Indirect control...
Familiar with...
Assigned to...(to be continued)

9.Power Words NOTE: Power words are verbs, which will help you construct active descriptions of your duties and accomplishments. You should begin each statement with a power word-not "I." (The "I" is understood; you are talking about yourself in a Resumé.) Also, use the past tense in your descriptive statements, even if you're describing accomplishments relating to your current job. The only time you'll want to use the present tense is when you're describing the duties or responsibilities associated with your present position. A accelerated accomplished achieved acquired adapted added addressed adjusted administered advanced advised affiliated aided allocated amplified analyzed answered anticipated appeared applied appointed appraised approved arbitrated argued arranged assessed assigned assisted assumed assured attained audited augmented authorized averted awarded B began boosted bought briefed broadened brought budgeted built C calculated catalogued caused changed chaired checked chose clarified classified closed coached collected combined commented communicated compared compiled completed composed compressed computed conceived conceptualized concluded condensed conditioned conducted confirmed conserved considered consolidated constituted constructed consulted continued contracted contributed controlled converted convinced coordinated corrected counseled counted created critiqued cut D dealt decided defined delegated delivered demonstrated described designed determined developed devised diagnosed diagramed directed discharged discovered discussed dispensed displayed dissected distributed documented doubled drafted E earned edited educated effected elected eliminated encouraged endorsed engendered engineered enhanced enlarged enlisted ensured entered equipped eradicated erected established estimated evaluated evolved examined excelled executed exercised exhibited expanded expedited experienced experimented explained explored expressed extended F facilitated familiarized fashioned filed filled financed finished focused forecast foresaw formulated forwarded fostered found founded fulfilled furnished G gained gathered gave generated governed graded granted grasped grossed guided H halved handled hastened headed helped highlighted I identified illustrated imagined implemented improved improvised inaugurated incorporated increased indexed initiated influenced innovated inspected installed instituted instructed insured integrated interpreted interviewed introduced invented invested investigated involved issued J joined judged K kept L labored launched learned leased lectured led licensed listed located logged M made magnified maintained managed matched maximized measured mediated met modified moderated monitored motivated moved N named navigated negotiated netted O observed obtained officiated opened operated ordered organized originated oriented overcame oversaw P paid participated patterned perceived perfected performed persuaded pioneered placed planned pooled possessed prepared presented processed procured produced programmed prohibited projected promoted proofed proposed proved provided published purchased pursued Q qualified questioned quickened R raised ranked rated ratified reached realized received recommended reconciled recorded recruited redesigned reduced reformed regenerated regulated rehabilitated related released remodeled removed rendered renovated reorganized repaired replaced replied reported represented rescued researched resolved responded restored restructured retrieved revamped reversed reviewed revised revitalized S saved scheduled scouted screened scrutinized secured selected separated served serviced set shaped shared shortened showed simplified smoothed sold solved sorted sought sparked spearheaded specified spoke stabilized staffed standardized started streamlined strengthened stressed stretched structured studied submitted substantiated substituted succeeded suggested summarized superseded supervised supported surveyed syndicated synthesized systematized T tackled targeted taught terminated tested took toured traced tracked traded trained transcribed transferred transformed translated transported traveled treated trimmed tripled turned tutored U umpired uncovered understood understudied unified unraveled updated upgraded upheld used utilized verbalized verified visited V validated verified W waged weighed welcomed widened won worked wrote Additional Eye-Catching Language ability capable capability capacity competence competent complete completely consistent contributions demonstrated developing disciplined educated efficient effective effectiveness enlarging equipped excellent exceptional expanding experienced global increasing knowledgeable major mature maturity nationwide outstanding performance positive potential productive proficient profitable proven qualified record repeatedly resourceful responsible results significant significantly sound specialist substantial substantially successful stable thorough thoroughly versatile vigorous well-educated well-rounded worldwide (to be continued)

10.Keywords

Keywords are an indispensable component of modern, computer-friendly Resumés. You should integrate relevant keywords wherever possible throughout the body of your Resumé.

NOTE: New keywords are constantly entering the occupational vocabulary. This list is by no means exhaustive. Industry jargon has become increasingly specialized, so there are always new keywords to be uncovered. Keep your Resumé up-to-date with the latest buzzwords circulating in your field or industry. You can't afford to have a stale Resumé, for it will surely be passed-over as yesterday's news.

General Keywords Covering All Concentrations

Alternatives
Analysis
Analytical ability
Articulate
Assertive
Assessment
Automated
Bottom-line
Change creation
Change management
Classified
Committed
Communication skills
Creative
Deadline-oriented
Decisive
Delegate
Direct
Driven
Enthusiastic
Initiative Innovative
Insightful
Interpersonal skills
Leadership skills
Management
Model
Motivated
Negotiation skills
Over-achiever
Objectives
Organizational skills
Patient
Personable
Presentation skills
Prioritize
Proactive
Productive
Problem solving
Product safety
Project management
Quality management Re-deployed
Re-engineer
Referenced
Resourceful
Results-oriented
Reviewed
Self-motivated
Simulation
Spreadsheet
Stabilize
Statistical analysis
Strategic planning
Strategy
Supervise
Systematic
Team building
Techniques
Time management skills
Tools
Tactics
Versatile

Keywords Associated with Finance and Accounting

Account management
AP
AR
Asset management
Asset valuation
ATM
Audit
Banking
Bonds
Budget management
Commercial leasing
Commercial loan
Customer-driven Conversational
Debt
Dividend reinvestment
Equity
Estate planning
FIFO
Investor relations
Load/no load
Payables management
Price-earnings ratio
Procurement
Real estate appraisal Receivables management
Reconciliation
Repossessions
Risk management
ROI
Securities
Site assessment
Stocks
Tax-exempt
Tax-free
Tax strategy
Trust services

Keywords Associated with IR

Background investigation
Benefits
Career planning
Compensation
Cross-cultural training
Disability plan
Employee assistance Employee misconduct
Employment equity
Ethics
Flexible benefits
Grievance
Healthcare administration
Hiring
Incentive
Interview
Job classification Legal issues
Merit pay
Organizational development
Peer review
Pension
Performance evaluation
Review
Salary structure
Service awards
Training

Keywords Associated with Marketing, Sales and Marketing Research

Advertising
Agency
Block plan
Brand management
Campaign
Collateral materials
Competitive analysis
Consumer
Creative ability
Customer relations
Demographics
Direct marketing
Display
Distribution channels Feature
Image
Inventory turns
Launch
Market analysis
Market assessment
Market share
Media planning
Merchandising
Packaging
Penetration
POS / point of sale
Price value
Private label Promotion
Promotional materials
Rebates
Revenues
Sales
Sales maximization
Segmentation
Sell-through
Statistical analysis
Targeted customers
Trade management
Vendor

Keywords Associated with MIS

Analog
CAD
Client-server
Compugraphics
Concept design
Data modeling
Database Desktop publishing
DOS
Internet
LAN/WAN
Laser
Mainframe
Multi-tasking Optics
OS/2
Product support
Software development
UNIX
WINDOWS
Workstation

Keywords Associated with Operations

Automated materials handling
CAD
CAM
Change management
Flow diagrams JIT
Manufacturing operations
MRPS
Processing maximization Project management
Queuing theory
Real-time processing control
Total quality

Thank you for your warmheart!

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