JOBTALKS
Resume Preparation:
Targeting Your
Resume
Indiana University
Kelley School of Business
C. Randall Powell, Ph.D
Contents used in this presentation are adapted from Career Planning Strategies
and used with the permission of the author.
Targeting
Your
Resume
•
•
•
•
Career Success/Goals
Resumes lead to interviews
What you want to do!
Target to your customer
Your Resume As A Tool
Must summarize
credentials
&
Tell what you want
to do
Future Goals Count
How do you plan to use your talents?
Goals Build
Motivation!
Summarize
background
Capability
for
success
Recruiters need to
know what motivates
you!
Career Services
One of many methods
Refer resumes
Recommend
Arrange interviews
But take advantage of all sources!
Leveraging Your Potential
Cash or leverage investment
Healthy returns via leverage
Alumni praise assistance
Use leverage
Networking for Success
Start with basic resume
Market your talents
Network distribution system
Career Services Pay Dividends!
Network Partner is Ace in the Hole
Broker concept
Only fools do it all themselves
Goal: sell toward specific job
Pitch: personal interview
Brokers package and present
Career services are broker partners
The Marketing Hook
One-page summary
Present a positive outlook
Advertising brochure
Builds foundation for interview
Hallmark
of
Excellence
Hallmark of Excellence
Reflects upon others
Reflects upon you
Reflects upon university
If you do it right, your resume
will make you stand out!
Invest In Your Resume!
Quality Resume = Leverage
Leveraging your
investment returns
handsome profits!
Fire-Fighters
–Hirers
are short-term thinkers
– Fire-fighters
–Help fight fires
Best Fire-Fighters Available
Target the Hot Spots
Identify Problems
Isolate Effort
Maximize Resources
Job Hunting Similarities
Plan From Within
Get Inside
Organization
Plan Career From
Inside
How do you get
inside?
Resume Purpose
Get Interview
Why would they want
to interview you?
Best Fire-Fighter
Selecting YOU To Interview
Help Employer Screen
Prove Qualifications
Support Best Person
Say what you want to do!
Interviewed on basis of motivations and interests.
Your objective says more about you
than just your capabilities!
They reveal the Real
person!
Career Objective is Critical!
Tell employer what
you want to do.
Do aspirations meet
credentials?
Career Objective
No Career Objective Says:
I can do everything!
I'll do anything!
You decide for me!
Career Objective
Employers' Primary Screening Devices
You may need more than one resume!
One general purpose resume
Resumes that target specific jobs
EMPLOYER'S GOAL
Job Openings =
Applicant's
Qualifications
match
Your Goal
Resume read by as many potential employers
as possible.
You want employers to follow up!
CAREER OBJECTIVE
Specific
General
Delicate Balance
Getting Comfortable
"A+" Perfection
Takes Time
Learn
as you write
Improvement is a
process
Refine later
Career Objectives
I want to...
I am qualified to...
Multiple but interrelated goals
Targeted Resumes
Differentiate by Objective
General Purpose Resume
Home-In On Field
Mention Several Jobs
Share With Network
Where Do You Get Ideas
For Your Career
Objective Statement?
—Books
—Role Models
—Faculty
—Want-Ads
—Counselors
—Job Descriptions
WRITING CAREER
OBJECTIVES
Show:
Knowledge Of Field
Qualifications
Interest
Ambition
Writing Career Objectives
AVOID
Narrow
Geographic
Restrictions
Inflexible
Attitudes
Restrictive
Availability
Heck, I don't
care where in
Western
Colorado,
Southeastern
Utah, or Vermont
I work...
Incorporate Ideas
Career Interests
Specific Job
Advancement Path
Use Jargon
Summarize Skills
Job Title
Actual Job Seeking
1-3 Descriptive Words
Paragraph Heading
Boldface/Capitalize
SALES REPRESENTATIVE - Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Read Between the Lines
Illustrations Follow
Employer Inferences
Clever Choice of Words
Typical Examples
Learn from examples
Verbose/illustrative
Unacceptable Career Objectives
•Monetarily be upper middle class
•To take part in the community
•To be very successful in all of my life
•To be the best in my occupation and to
strive for the top position
•To work with people
MOLD TOGETHER
Your Background
values
interests
personality
skills
Job Opportunities
duties
skills
specifications
responsibilities
CAREER OBJECTIVE
Advancement Potential
Interest
Knowledge of Field
Skills
Ambition
Career Progress
Emphasis on Career, Not Job
You Are Ready!
Deal with short-term fire fighting mentality
Target hot-buttons/tell them what they want to hear
Let Resume Prove You Can Be A Super Fire-Fighter!
MANY
HOURS
REQUIRED
JOBTALKS
Resume Preparation:
Targeting Your Resume
Indiana University
Kelley School of Business
C. Randall Powell, Ph.D.
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