The No. 1 Question Your Resume Should Answer

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this column was the first to attract my attention when surfing the net...it was probably because, i used to have my flourishing career as a teacher but i decided to drop off the post anyway..what gave me the confidence to do so was my pride that i can adjust to the economy's situation knowing that i am still single and i can explore more the other side of me...in short, i updated my resume and had the chances to load up the portion of work experiences..i myself was so amazed of the output...why?i filed out all the works i had be it for a long term or short...I can't believe it..at my age i almost experienced works that requires physique, wits and charms as they say..when i appllied to a prestgeous company, obvoiusly, they're so impressed that i got the job right away..and resigned after four days work. bottom line is: they thought that i can handle things well,but it happened that the job they want me to perform was out of my capacity...they were just overwhelmed...i agree..your resume should answer the question Ms Green was emphasizing....what have you done in your post that made the company you're in successful because of you.

annod 8:28AM August 13, 2009

I agree with the comment about being overqualified being the kiss of death. I have been in a similar predicament and I'm still trying to find an adequate way out. I live in a small town in the south with limited opportunities. After High School, I went to a local community college and received associates degrees and worked slightly above minimum wage jobs for several years. It wasn't fulfilling, and I wondered if I would ever be able to move beyond. I decided to go the online degree route and carefully researched and found a school that had the propoer accrediation and met my needs. Two years later I received an MBA. However, I was still in one of those slightly above minimum wage clerical jobs. I would apply for jobs that required a Master's degree and was asked "Where's your experience at this level?" I applied for jobs that required a bachelor's degree to try to gain experience and was told that I was overqualified. Fortunately, I was able to begin teaching part-time at the community college I graduated from, which I love. I was also able to return to the bank I had worked for right after graduating with my Associates Degrees at a higher level position. However, I still am not at a level that is consistent with my education and experience. I have tried all sorts of resume tips and tricks - I have even taught them. I am not sure there's an absolute right way write a resume, because every interviewer is looking for something different. It does seem to be getting harder and harder, though. I was reading an article not too long ago that said interviews are now less about resume's and job skills and are now moving toward power points demonstrating what goals the interviewee will be achieving while working for the company. Some people may be quite skilled in their work, but not skilled in oral presentations. Will they be relegated to fry chef positions??? It's hard to say.

johnny of AR 2:34PM August 10, 2009

I am so glad to see this comment. I have held and now am looking for these same positions-data entry, clerical, general office positions and am so tired of seeing these articles about having that "winning resume" to stand out among all the others who apply for certain positions. I don't have a fancy resume just facts. Don't know what else I could put in a resume to attract the attention of the person in charge of hiring for these positions. Where do we get this kind of encouragement for our positions in the work world? If it wasn't for us a lot of the work would not get done or done right.

debra lane of TX 8:19AM August 10, 2009

I am so glad to see this comment. I have held and now am looking for these same positions-data entry, clerical, general office positions and am so tired of seeing these articles about having that "winning resume" to stand out among all the others who apply for certain positions. I don't have a fancy resume just facts. Don't know what else I could put in a resume to attract the attention of the person in charge of hiring for these positions. Where do we get this kind of encouragement for our positions in the work world? If it wasn't for us a lot of the work would not get done or done right.

debra lane of TX 8:12AM August 10, 2009

So you have a job that pretty much starts at the top with no place to go. Now what?
The duties you preformed will not transcend into another 9-5 position, and after explaining what you did to the interviewer, he or she rasies his eyebrows and says WOW, don't call us we'll call you. Over qualified is a kiss worse than death and being overqualified and over 40 you may as well get a wheelchair. AIN'T NOBODY GOING TO HIRE YOU. Most employers miss the great employees by just judging the candiate on whats on the paper not meeting the person and gauging the depth. Some have a lot to offer a company most never get the opportunity to get to the door much less get a foot in.

David Neesley of IL 7:46AM August 10, 2009

Resume advice is nearly always targeted toward the professional. And yet, as a simple slightly over entry level kind of person, general office, clerical, data entry, customer service call center.. dime a dozen kind of job with nothing spectacular to do or show off about unless it's how fast you type, enter data, or how well you handle the custoemers (the ONLY thing that can lead to higher levels), I find it difficult to shape my resume around the advice always given.
Sure, I can brag about how outstanding I was in that data entry position. How I sat all day in one chair in one position, typing and doing nothing but typing, all day, with no talking allowed, but I did it and I did it fast and accuratlely.
I really don't think anyone would consider this amazing.
But I brag anyway, and why? Because even entry level (or slightly above) general office, clerical, data entry positions require resumes. Go figure. I guess it will stand out that I knew I should brag about being able to type as fast as everyone else on that job I listed, otherwise they wouldn't have been hired either.
What is there to brag about, when the person applying for the jobs isn't the kind of employee who "instituted cost efficiencies that reduced overhead by 20 per cent?"

TheNoob of MO 2:37AM August 10, 2009

I am curious, how does someone incoporate your accomplishments in your resume.

Tom of TX 11:46PM August 09, 2009

link few against keep frequency

bradleebur of LA 9:00PM July 30, 2009

The core of what the resume should say is: "what can I do for you?" In that any resume being read should 'scream' to the reader- 'I am the one for you!'.
In this sense job specialization is absolutely key. Having a clear understanding of what you bring to the table that is different and unique (no matter how trivial it may seem) is imperative and should be an exercise done BEFORE any resume is written.
Nice article, I reposted on Twitter @InterviewResume
Regards,
http://www.10BiggestResumeMistakes.com

InterviewResume of CA 4:04PM June 30, 2009

As HR person and an employment counsellor, I understand the author's point of view, however this expecation is sometime unrealistic. Most of my clients and those I personally know are hard working people yet nothing out of ordinary. On the job, there's always someone with more years of experience, my clients tell me, and it's a well known fact that many folks in the office actually dislike overperformers. If they were overperformers, sort of "America's Got Talent" type, they would be promoted and -the resume would show that. Many people however are looking for a job because after doing what they were paid for for a number of years, the job came to the end and so they need to figure out where to find their next employer and offer them what they are good at - their skills and experience. Not every company constantly monitores the employee performance and comes up with a measurable record of their success/failure, so it's unfair to expect that now these former employees have to prove their "achievements" when they were actually discouraged from being "different" from the rest of the team.

Nata of MN 12:15PM June 30, 2009