List Your Special Skills or Rewards on Your Career Résumé
Take stock of yourself and be honest on your career resume. Don’t sell yourself short but don’t go on an ego trip either. Whether you are climbing a professional ladder or just looking for a job to pay the bills, you need to showcase your abilities on your career resume in the most flattering light if you want the best job.
To do this, you must put together an autobiographical outline detailing your various education, training and professional development. Include any and all experience, special skills, awards, honors or other distinctions obtained in school, from job training, in the home or community, and on the job.
In addition to your own recollection, where possible, refer to descriptions of your position in job vacancy notices, annual evaluations, or human resource manuals that categorize the responsibilities of each position in the company.
This will be shaved down to the most important and relevant details as your career résumé-preparation process evolves. Don’t worry about vocabulary or writing skills because that will be taken care of by the professional writer who works on your résumé.
A Good Career Résumé Showcases Your Achievements
All of the above notwithstanding, the #1 caveat is to focus on your achievements in the job title that added value to your employer and the organization’s brand. It is never a good idea to regurgitate a task list. This can be boring and cause the recruiter to cast your resume aside and move on in search of one that catches their attention.
If a recruiter wants a task list they can ask human resources to generate a copy of the official job description. Instead, in order to stand out from the crowd you want to showcase extraordinary skills, attributes and, above all, those accomplishments that are above and beyond what you were asked to do. These are the qualities that will put you in the running for the new job and enable you to outdistance your competition.
Take the time to consider what sets you apart from everyone else. It is not hubris to lay claim to your achievements if you are being truthful. Remember, if you are not adding value to a firm’s ROI, you are nothing more than a human paperweight and therefore dispensable. In performing your job, you must be worth more than a 1:1 ration to your annual salary.
Do Not Underestimate Your Value for a Position
“Oh,” you say, “I am only in a support or menial position so how can I add value.” Well, take the example of a maintenance custodian who in doing his daily work mops up puddles in a hallway. If he prevents a slip and fall accident, he saves the company from an expensive personal injury lawsuit.
Or a bookkeeper who spots and researches redundant invoices or outlandish expenses, this translates to significant savings. Or the stockroom associate who monitors inventory and spots slow moving or over-ordered supplies. Again, this can translate to big savings. You don’t have to be in sales or finance to contribute greatly to your employer’s bottom line. Your career résumé should showcase all that.