6 Tricks for a Recession-Proof Résumé(1)

2011-10-18

It’s no secret that today’s job market is extremely challenging. With more and more job candidates applying to fewer and fewer open positions, it may seem nearly impossible for you to get a potential employer’s attention.
How can you move your document to the top of the stack? Consider the following suggestions for writing a recession-proof reacutesumeacute:
1.Don’t just update your old reacutesumeacute
If you haven’t been on the job hunt for many years, it can be tempting to simply pull out the last reacutesumeacute you used, add your most recent accomplishments and send it out. But the document could be many years old, which means the content is likely outdated.
At the very least, give your reacutesumeacute a thorough review and weed out any information that is not applicable to your current career goals. You may, for example, remove positions you held in college or delete the mention of an old computer application. You might even find the best course of action is to prepare your reacutesumeacute from scratch.
2. Consider your form
A chronological reacutesumeacute, in which you list your work experience in reverse chronological order, has long been the standard format that job seekers use. But in a downturn it may not be the best style for showcasing your skills and experience.
If you have frequent or large gaps in your employment history, you may want to use a combination reacutesumeacute instead. A combination reacutesumeacute places the most emphasis on your skills and accomplishments, downplaying your previous positions and dates of employment. Rather than having a section called quotWork Experiencequot serve as the bulk of your reacutesumeacute, for instance, you might have sections titled quotAdministrative Experience,quot quotComputer Skillsquot and quotManagementandTrainingSkills.quot A combination reacutesumeacute still details your work history, but this information is abbreviated and placed near the end of the document.
A combination reacutesumeacute also could be a good choice if you are hoping to switch careers. If you don’t have experience that relates directly to your new path, this format allows you to highlight transferable skills that are applicable to the position you seek.
3. Focus on the bottom line
Companies today are looking for ways to reduce expenses and increase efficiencies. When detailing the positions you’ve held in the past, be sure to mention how you’ve helped boost a former employer’s bottom line. If you worked as an administrative assistant, rather than saying quotfiled documentsquot or quotansweredphones,quot try something like this: quotIdentified new office-supplies vendor, resulting in cost savings of 25 percent.quot Be as specific as possible when describing your achievements, and don’t be afraid to brag a little.

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