Expert Resumes for Career Changers

289 Pages·2004·9.05 MB·english

by  Wendy S. Enelow

$16.95 (Higher in Canada) CAREERS/RESUMES
This Book Is for You If…
(cid:2) Your industry has been hard hit by economic recession.
(cid:2) Your position has been eliminated.
(cid:2) You’re bored or frustrated and ready for a change.
(cid:2) You want to pursue your true passion.
(cid:2) You want greater opportunities for increased compensation and advancement.
(cid:2) You’re ready to downsize your career and reduce your responsibilities.
To transition to the top jobs, you must develop a powerful, performance-based
resume that communicates your qualifications in a strong and effective written
presentation. This book shows you how!
Resume Writing Secrets from the Pros
The BEST Sample Resumes from the
For most people, the hardest part of writing a resume is VERY BEST Professional Resume Writers!
getting started. In this book, professional resume writers
Hundreds of the top professional resume writers
and career counselors Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark
submitted resumes for this collection, and only the
give you the help you need to start—and pull together a
very best were chosen. The resumes represent a wide
stunning resume with ease!
diversity of style, design, and technique. This collection
(cid:2) The top nine resume strategies for getting noticed and getting of resumes is the most extensive ever assembled for
interviews; plus format and presentation standards people starting new careers.
(cid:2) Step-by-step writing instructions, with
examples every step of the way
(cid:2) Techniques for choosing the best Sample Resumes and Strategies for Changing Careers
resume type for your situation Dozens of professional resume writers share their SECRETS and
Excellent resume writing and career advice plus a carefully chosen
(cid:2) Tips to use technology effectively in SAMPLE RESUMES for successfully SEEKING NEW CAREERS in
collection of sample resumes, including resumes targeted to new careers
your job search, including scannable
in… health care•technology•accounting, finance, and insurance•business (cid:2) Health Care
and electronic resumes
management • sales, marketing, and advertising • education • sports and (cid:2) Technology
(cid:2) An extensive directory of job search
recreation • creative and performing arts • legal and law enforcement (cid:2) Business Management
resources on the Web
•nonprofit organizations•and many others! (cid:2) Finance and Accounting
(cid:2) Sales, Marketing, and Advertising
(cid:2) Sports and Recreation
(cid:2) Education and Social Service
8902 Otis Avenue ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Indianapolis, IN 46216-1033 (cid:2) Law, Government, and Law Enforcement
1-800-648-JIST Wendy S. Enelowis the founder and past president of the Career Masters
(cid:2) Creative and Performing Arts
Fax 1-800-JIST-FAX Institute, a prestigious training and development organization of career pro-
www.jist.com fessionals worldwide. Previously, as President of The Advantage, Inc., she (cid:2) And many other fields!
built a successful executive resume writing firm. Wendy is a Credentialed
Includes a carefully selected gallery of resumes written by dozens
Career Master, Certified Professional Resume Writer, and Certified Job and
Career Transition Coach. She is the author of 20 career books. of PROFESSIONAL RESUME WRITERS.
Louise M. Kursmarkis the founder and president of Best Impression Career
Services, Inc., a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Job and
Career Transition Coach, and Credentialed Career Master. She is a found-
ing member of the Career Masters Institute. Louise is the author of Sales and
Marketing Resumes for $100,000 Careers and Best Resumes for College
Students and New Grads, and co-author of Cover Letter Magicand seven
other books in the Expert Resumesseries.
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EXPERT RESUMES
for
Career Changers
Wendy S. Enelow and
Louise M. Kursmark
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Expert Resumes for Career Changers
© 2005 by Wendy S. Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark
Published by JIST Works, an imprint of JIST Publishing, Inc.
8902 Otis Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46216-1033
Phone: [phone]-JIST Fax: 1-800-JIST-FAX E-mail: [email protected]
Visit our Web site at www.jist.com for information on JIST, free job search tips,
book chapters, and how to order our many products! For free information on 14,000
job titles, visit www.careeroink.com.
Quantity discounts are available for JIST books. Please call our Sales Department at
1-800-648-5478 for a free catalog and more information.
Acquisitions and Development Editor: Lori Cates Hand
Cover Designer: Katy Bodenmiller
Interior Designer and Page Layout: Trudy Coler
Proofreader: Jeanne Clark
Indexer: Tina Trettin
Printed in the United States of America
08 07 06 05 04 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Enelow, Wendy S.
Expert resumes for career changers / Wendy S. Enelow and Louise M. Kursmark.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-59357-092-9 (alk. paper)
1. Résumés (Employment) 2. Career changes. I. Kursmark, Louise. II. Title.
HF5383.E47875 2005
650.14'2--dc22 2004023589
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, or
stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher except
in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews. Making copies of any part of this
book for any purpose other than your own personal use is a violation of United States copyright
laws. For permission requests, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center at www.copy-
right.com or [phone].
We have been careful to provide accurate information in this book, but it is possible that errors
and omissions have been introduced. Please consider this in making any career plans or other
important decisions. Trust your own judgment above all else and in all things.
Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names,
service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
ISBN 1-59357-092-9
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T
ABLE OF
C
ONTENTS
ABOUT THIS BOOK ........................................................................vii
INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................ix
PART I: Resume Writing, Strategy, and Formats .......................................1
CHAPTER 1: Resume-Writing Strategies for Career
Changers.........................................................................................3
The Top Nine Strategies for an Effective Resume ................................4
Resume Strategy #1: Who Are You and How Do You Want
to Be Perceived? .......................................................................4
Resume Strategy #2: Sell It to Me…Don’t Tell It to Me ..............6
Resume Strategy #3: Use Keywords .............................................7
Resume Strategy #4: Use the “Big” and Save the “Little” ............9
Resume Strategy#5: Make Your Resume “Interviewable” ............10
Resume Strategy #6: Eliminate Confusion with Structure and
Context ..................................................................................10
Resume Strategy #7: Use Function to Demonstrate
Achievement ..........................................................................11
Resume Strategy#8: Remain in the Realm of Reality ................... 11
Resume Strategy #9: Be Confident ..............................................11
There Are No Resume-Writing Rules ...............................................11
Content Standards ......................................................................12
Presentation Standards ...............................................................16
Accuracy and Perfection ..............................................................19
CHAPTER 2: Writing Your Resume...............................................21
Recommended Resume-Writing Strategy and Formats for Career
Changers........................................................................................21
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Expert Resumes for Career Changers
Career-Changer Strategies ...........................................................22
Sample Formats and Situations for Career-Change Resumes .........23
Why Format Is So Important .....................................................33
Step-by-Step: Writing the Perfect Resume ...........................................36
Contact Information ..................................................................36
Career Summary ........................................................................37
Professional Experience ...............................................................41
Education, Credentials, and Certifications .................................46
The “Extras”...............................................................................48
Writing Tips, Techniques, and Important Lessons ...............................54
Get It Down—Then Polish and Perfect It ................................54
Write Your Resume from the Bottom Up .....................................54
Include Notable or Prominent “Extra” Stuff in Your
Career Summary......................................................................55
Use Resume Samples to Get Ideas for Content, Format,
and Organization ....................................................................56
Include Dates or Not? .................................................................56
Always Send a Cover Letter When You
Forward Your Resume.............................................................57
Never Include Salary History or Salary Requirements
on Your Resume .....................................................................58
Always Remember That You Are Selling ......................................59
CHAPTER 3: Printed, Scannable, Electronic, and
Web Resumes ................................................................................61
The Four Types of Resumes ................................................................61
The Printed Resume ....................................................................61
The Scannable Resume ............................................................... 62
The Electronic Resume ..............................................................62
The Web Resume .......................................................................64
The Four Resume Types Compared ..................................................68
Are You Ready to Write Your Resume? ................................................70
iv
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Table of Contents
PART II: Sample Resumes for Career Changers ........................................71
CHAPTER 4: Resumes for Career Changers Seeking
Accounting, Finance, Banking, Administrative, Office
Management, Business Management, and Insurance
Positions..........................................................................................73
CHAPTER 5: Resumes for Career Changers Seeking Technology
Positions ............................................................................................107
CHAPTER 6: Resumes for Career Changers Seeking Sales,
Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Writing, and
Events Management Positions ........................................................123
CHAPTER 7: Resumes for Career Changers Seeking Health
Care, Social Services, and Personal Services Positions .................153
CHAPTER 8: Resumes for Career Changers Seeking Training,
Human Resources, Teaching, and Educational
Administration Positions..................................................................169
CHAPTER 9: Resumes for Career Changers Seeking Sports and
Recreation, Cultural, and Creative and Performing Arts
Positions ............................................................................................197
CHAPTER 10: Resumes for Career Changers Seeking Legal,
Law Enforcement, Public Safety, and Investigator
Positions ............................................................................................215
CHAPTER 11: Resumes for Career Changers Seeking
Positions with Nonprofit Organizations ......................................225
CHAPTER 12: Resumes for Senior Executives Seeking
Lower-Level Business Positions ......................................................241
Appendix: Internet Career Resources .............................................251
Dictionaries and Glossaries ..............................................................251
Job Search Sites ...............................................................................252
General Sites .............................................................................252
Accounting Careers ...................................................................253
Arts and Media Careers .............................................................254
Education Careers .....................................................................254
Entry-Level Careers ..................................................................254
v
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Expert Resumes for Career Changers
Government and Military Careers ..............................................254
Health Care/Medical/Pharmaceutical Careers ..........................255
Human Resources Careers .........................................................255
International Careers .................................................................255
Legal Careers ............................................................................255
Sales and Marketing Careers ......................................................256
Service Careers ..........................................................................256
Technology/Engineering Careers .............................................256
Sites for Miscellaneous Specific Fields ........................................257
Company Information .....................................................................257
Interviewing Tips and Techniques ...................................................258
Salary and Compensation Information .............................................258
Index of Contributors .......................................................................261
Index ..................................................................................................267
vi
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A T
BOUT HIS
B
OOK
If you’re reading this book, you’re most likely one of tens of thousands of people
who are considering a career change—either a change in position or a change in
industry. You might have made this decision because of any one of the following
reasons:
• Your current industry has been hard hit by the recent economic recession.
• The position that you currently hold has been eliminated in your company and
also in many similar companies.
• You’re bored in your current position and ready for a change.
• You want to pursue your true passion as your new career.
• Your personal situation has changed and you’re now able to pursue a career of
real interest to you.
• You’re relocating and need to explore new opportunities in your new geo-
graphic area.
• You want greater opportunities for increased compensation and advancement.
• You’re frustrated and ready for a change.
• You’re tired of all the responsibilities of your career and ready to downsize.
These are just a few of the reasons you might be considering a career change.
There are many other reasons, and you’ll find resumes in this book that are rele-
vant to them all.
Now, here’s the good news: You’ve selected a great time to make a career change!
Despite the economic concerns that we are facing, believe it or not, it’s a great
time to look for a new job or a new career. According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, the employment outlook is optimistic.
Consider these findings:
• Total U.S. employment is projected to increase 15 percent between 2000 and
2010.
• Service-producing industries will continue to be the dominant employment
generator, adding more than 20 million jobs by 2010.
• Goods-producing industries will also experience gains in employment,
although not as significant as those in the service sector.
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Expert Resumes for Career Changers
In chapter 1, you can read more interesting statistics, all of which will reinforce
the fact that you’ve made the right decision to launch your search campaign today.
To take advantage of all of these opportunities, you must first develop a powerful,
performance-based resume. To be a successful job seeker, you must know how to
communicate your qualifications in a strong and effective written presentation.
Sure, it’s important to let employers know essential details, but a resume is more
than just your job history and academic credentials. A winning resume is a concise
yet comprehensive document that gives you a competitive edge in the job market.
Creating such a powerful document is what this book is all about.
We’ll explore the changes in resume presentation that have arisen over the past
decade. In the past, resumes were almost always printed on paper and mailed.
Today, e-mail has become the chosen method for resume distribution in many
industries and professions. In turn, many of the traditional methods for “typing”
and presenting resumes have changed dramatically. This book will instruct you in
the methods for preparing resumes for e-mail, scanning, and Web site posting, as
well as the traditional printed resume.
By using Expert Resumes for Career Changers as your professional guide, you will
succeed in developing a powerful and effective resume that opens doors, gets
interviews, and helps you land your next great opportunity!
viii
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I
NTRODUCTION
This book, the seventh in the Expert Resumes series, has been one of the most
challenging to write because it covers such a large and diverse audience. There are,
however, several common denominators facing every individual who is interested
in making a career change, either within their profession or to another industry. In
summary, the fact that you are seeking to change careers will dictate almost every-
thing that you write in your resume, how you write it, and where it is positioned.
Your goal is to paint a picture of the “new” you and not simply reiterate what you
have done in the past, expecting a prospective employer to figure out that you can
do the “new” thing just as well. It simply does not work that way!
If you fall into the career-changer category, the critical questions you must ask
yourself about your resume and your job search are the following:
• How are you going to paint a picture of the “new” you? What are you
going to highlight about your past experience that ties directly to your current
objectives? What accomplishments, skills, and qualifications are you going to
“sell” in your resume to support your “new” career objective?
• What resume format are you going to use? Is a chronological, functional, or
hybrid resume format going to work best for you? Which format will give you
the greatest flexibility to highlight the skills you want to bring to the forefront
in support of your career change?
• Where are you going to look for a job? Assuming you know the type of
position and industry you want to enter at this point in your career, how are
you going to identify and approach those companies?
When you can answer the how, what, and where, you’ll be prepared to write your
resume and launch your search campaign. Use chapters 1 through 3 to guide you
in developing the content for your resume and selecting the appropriate design
and layout. Your resume should focus on your skills, achievements, and qualifica-
tions, demonstrating the value and benefit you bring to a prospective employer as
they relate to your current career goals. The focus is on the “new” you and not
necessarily what you have done professionally in the past.
Review the sample resumes in chapters 4 through 12 to see what other people
have done—people in similar situations to yours and facing similar challenges.
You’ll find interesting formats, unique skills presentations, achievement-focused
resumes, project-focused resumes, and much more. Most importantly, you’ll see
samples written by the top resume writers in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
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