Military to Civilian Resume Sample

Writing A Resume That Gets You Noticed

As the old saying goes, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression." In today's business world, of course, that first impression usually does not come from a face-to-face conversation, but from whatever you can tell your future boss about yourself on paper: your resume.

But knowing what information to put on your resume is a challenge. You want to tell your future boss about every noteworthy thing you've ever done, but your future boss only has a precious few seconds to look at your resume and the countless others that pass their way. How do you create a resume that makes a first impression that counts?

Of course, there are the basic things that any employer is going to want to know:

Job objective, telling what kind of position you are looking for
Work experience, with employers, positions, and dates listed
Formal education, with schools and degrees or certificates listed
Training and skills, really any ability that will set you apart from the rest

But in order to get beyond the boss's circular file, you are going to need to go beyond the basics. Let's start by talking about the forms that your resume might take.

The Chronological Resume

This is a resume where you tell your future employer what you've done over the course of your life that makes you the best choice for the position. The basic categories listed above form the skeleton of this resume, with lists for every school you've attended, job you've held, and training you've received, in chronological order.

The basic data is pretty standard. You can't really change where you've worked, when you went to school, and what degrees you received (at least without risking being found out as dishonest and unethical). Where you can set yourself apart from the pack is in how you present that data.

The words you use to describe the tasks you've performed in a job can communicate much more about you and your capabilities than a bland description ever could. For example, using action words to describe your job tasks can say to your future boss that you are someone who can take initiative rather than someone who simply responds to circumstances.

Some examples of good, action-oriented ways of phrasing things are:

"Implemented company business directives," rather than "followed my boss's instructions."
"Diagnosed and corrected problem," rather than "figured out what was wrong."
"Promoted company products nationwide," rather than "went on sales trips."
"Coordinated the activities of teams of employees," rather than "received reports from different company departments."

As you present the jobs you've held, the degrees you've received, and the training you've acquired in your chronological resume, remember to use action words and phrases to communicate that there is more to you than just the sum of your activities.

The Skills Resume

A different type of resume with different goals, the skills resume seeks to communicate the capabilities you bring to a job rather than what training and experience you have. The best course to take here is to show yourself in the best possible light.

The main sections of a skills resume are:

Position: the job for which you are applying.
Skills and Abilities: the traits and skills you have that make you the person for the job.
Education and Training: the short version of your formal education and/or training for the job.
Other: anything and everything that makes you stand out from the rest.

Sometimes, you may have traits that you consider negative, but that can be framed in a positive way for your future boss. Character traits that are complete opposites of one another can both be portrayed as positives. For example, do you think you're "pushy"? In your skills resume, put that you are "assertive". Are you a "push over"? In your skills resume, put that you are "easy to work with".

But even more than discussing character traits, a skills resume tells your prospective employer what you think your best qualities are and why you should be given the job. The keys to this are identifying your most important skills and giving examples of how you've used them in the workplace.

These descriptions should always be kept short and simple. Remember, your future boss only has a few seconds to size you up. A short sentence that communicates the basic facts is far more important and helpful than a paragraph that gives every single detail of the story.

If you can think of positive ways of looking at the things you've accomplished in your life, there is no reason that you cannot communicate those things in exciting ways! Even if you don't think your life has been all that thrilling, you can definitely make it sound that way by using the right words and phrases. The right words can make the qualifications you have sound absolutely indispensable to your future boss and can serve to draw their attention to the areas in your experience and character that will make you the obvious person for that position.

Lauren Danver was formerly a Human Resources Manger for ten years. During that time, she accepted and rejected countless resumes based on their merits. She is now the owner and webmaster of ResumeService.Biz

MORE ARTICLES:

The Perfect Resume
The perfect resume presents hiring managers with a four-fold vision of who you are and what you bring to the table: The perfect resume offers Logical Proofs:     Facts Quantifiable data Logical conclusions Achievement and success statements Relevant professional goals/accomplishments Limits the use of jargon Maximizes use of occupation/industry-specific key words Your capabilities and skills Clear, specific, measurable, and quantifiable words and phrases Sells you based on your achievements to date The perfect resume offers Your Vision & Creativity: Balanced white space Visually easy to read A resume style and paper consistent with your self-marketing vision Clear big picture of who you are Sells you based ...

New Audio Resume Service Provides Key Benefits of a Video Resume without the High Production Expense or Possible Legal Pitfalls
Job seekers looking to gain advantage can now create an affordable voice only recorded resume, accessible to employers via URL link. Prospective employers who access Audio Resume URLs avoid the legal and ethical issues associated with video resumes.

Resume Writing - Watch your step buddy
As a graduate student, the least thing you want to do is spend so much time researching on how to write a Resume or CV. And even if you want to make a break, sooner or later you will have to make the first step in order to apply for a job; you will need your Resume or CV ready in minutes. These are four essential stages for you to find out how to write a resume that stands out above the rest!

Hot Tips For Resume Tips That Work For Sales Executives
MAKE YOUR RESUME SELL YOU It?s Not Bragging ? It?s Data Employers need information to determine you are the right person for the job The interview and the resume are the conduit for that information

How to Write a Resume That Stands Out From The Crowd
Today's job market is competitive. Many companies receive hundreds of resumes a year, making it difficult for yours to stand out from the crowd.

Writing a Great Resume Objective
It?s the first thing potential employers read, and it can set the tone for your entire resume The objective you list on your resume can make the difference between ?keep reading? and ?toss it? in the minds of hiring managers, so it?s worth your time and attention

Talent Technology, The Global Leader In Resume Extraction Launches Next Generation Resume Mirror? Extraction Platform
Talent Technology?s Platform To Support Multiple Languages For Global Recruiting Needs

What A Former Stay At Home Mom Knows About Creating A Stunning Resume That You Dont
Recently I was asked to touch up a friend's resume. Her challenge was simple.

WorkBlast to Power Hireskills.com?s Video Resume Database Through Exclusive Partnership
Partnership advancements provide WorkBlast?s Job Seekers increased exposure across partner network. WorkBlast.com, the online leader in Video Resumes, has partnered with Hireskills.com to provide and power the company?s video resume database. WorkBlast, enables job seekers to enhance their traditional text resume by creating audio, video, and rich media resumes, which are exclusive to WorkBlast.com, and its partner websites.

Create Free Printable Resume - Things to Check if You Want to Create Free Printable Resume
Let?s admit it, not everyone has the skill, talent, or gift of resume writing An outstanding candidate for a job can be very useful to a company unless they get that impression first through his resume

Create a Resume That Comes Alive
More often than not, resumes are your first introduction to an organization ? giving them the responsibility of persuading the reader to want more It is common for individuals to agonize over writing a resume and more often than not the finished product looks more like a career obituary or personal statement than a first class ticket to your dream job

GigTide Online Resume Builder Implements Enhancements and New Online Community
Enhancements Support Increased User Registrations, Job-Seeker Tools and Web Presence. The GigTide resume builder's initial success resulted in over 32,000 visitors, over 400 new users and over 500 resumes created in multiple languages, within the first two weeks.

Resume Writing Tips
Resume Writing doesn't have to be a solo gigResume writing can be the bottleneck to advancements in your career. If you find yourself getting writer's block consider getting help.

ResTrust Strengthens Resources for Employment Background Check, Resume Certification Services by Teaming up with Peak Performance Coach Doug Hirschhor
An employment background check will soon merge one man’s strengths with the ideas of ethics, innovation and peak performance as two Innovators in their Respective Fields Join Forces to create an improved employment screening process, announces Jared I. Fletcher, founder and CEO of ResTrust.