The document provides tips for creating an effective resume, including tailoring it specifically for the position being applied for by using keywords from the job description. It recommends highlighting achievements and quantifying results, keeping the resume to one page if possible, and always including a customized cover letter. Proper formatting and presentation of the resume is also emphasized.

1. Marketing YOU, Inc.
ASHLEY CISNEROS
SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2011

2. The Purpose of a Resume
What’s the purpose of a resume?
A document to market YOU and sell your
qualifications to incite an HR rep or prospective
employer to take action.

3. Understanding Resumes
Employers want to know what you can offer them,
and quickly!
It’s important to craft your resume with their
perspective and needs in mind.
Remember, you’re the solution to their problem.
Every word in your resume has to prove that.

4. Sample Resume Order
Name and contact info
Career branding statement
Career profile
Selected professional experiences
Leadership, volunteerism, community engagement
Education

5. Customize with Key Words
Study the job description, company mission and
values.
 Make sure that the key words that appear in the job
description, appear throughout your resume.
 For more ideas on key words, search for a couple of job
descriptions for jobs you want and highlight the words included.
 Tailor each resume for the specific position you’re pursuing.
 Investing time in crafting your resume for the job you really
want is better than blindly applying for tons of jobs using a
general resume.

6. Catalog Your Jobs
List your jobs in reverse chronological order
List:
 Company/Organization Name
 A line describing the company, i.e. “Florida Trend’s NEXT,
higher education magazine with circulation of 750,000”
 City & State
 Years you worked at the position, being consistent with how
you list the entries.

7. Focus On Results, Not Just Duties
Next, make a list of every key achievement you
accomplished at each job using action words.
Use numbers to quantify success and put the result
first in each bulleted phrase.
 “Reduced paper costs by 20% through vendor research and
negotiation”
Use these entries to “answer” the needs listed in
the job description. Write in third-person.
Sprinkle key words and phrases throughout.

8. Sell Your Education
List your degrees, institutions and graduation year
Include applicable courses & projects
List scholarships, GPA if it’s particular good, Deans
List, seminars and applicable conferences
Include certificates that may relate to the job you’re
pursuing

9. Inventory Awards and Qualifications
Make a list of honors and awards.
 Pay attention to ones that will matter most to your future
employer.
List your skills and qualifications.
 Make sure to include the desired skills from the job
description.

10. Replace the Objective with a Career Profile
Where you’d normally place the objective, develop a
career profile.
Remember, it’s not about you wanting a position, it’s
about you offering the services they need.
 Use words and phrases to describe yourself and what you offer
the employer.
 If you’re bilingual, say so high up in the resume.
 List the skills, years of experience, major achievements that sell
you most.

11. Add a Career Brand
Instead of labeling the section as “Career Profile,”
use the space to develop a slogan or career brand.
COMPASSIONATE, BILINGUAL SOCIAL
WORK PROFESSIONAL
Spanish-speaking leader offers nine years of
experience leveraging superior interpersonal and
organizational skills to serve diverse populations.
Culturally competent in serving youth and the
Hispanic community. Master’s degree in Social
Work. Board experience. Skilled in Microsoft Office
Suite.

12. Make Each Word Count
Review your resume and list the most notable
achievements and relevant experience first.
Take out any entries that don’t speak to the needs of
the job description.
 Save this information in another document for future use in
other job applications.
Think about affiliations, related activities or projects
that may be relevant to the job, i.e., if you’re
pursuing a job at a school, mention your experience
as a summer camp advisor.

13. No Dissertations, Please
Try to limit your resume to one page. You have
probably 30-60 seconds to make that first
impression.
If you need two pages to sell your skills, use them,
but try not to go beyond that.
Use a CV as a comprehensive list of your
achievements. You can use this as “bank” to pull
from when you’re tailoring each customized resume.

14. Presentation Counts
Use a professional design.
Don’t use too many fonts. No head shots.
Don’t rely solely on spell check. Print out your
resume and read it out loud twice. Ask someone else
to proof it, too.
Check for spelling, punctuation, grammar and
consistency.
 For example, make sure you list the dates the same way in each
job listing.

15. Presentation Counts
Avoid using ampersands unless it’s part of a proper
name, like AT&T.
Make sure to deactivate hyperlinks.
Review the company’s preferred method of resume
submission. Some prefer Word documents, other
prefer PDFs, etc.
Remember, not everyone uses Microsoft Word, and
your layout and come out screwy in some programs.

16. Your Resume is Naked Without a Cover Letter
Always send a cover letter along with your resume.
 Make sure to address the letter to the right person and tailor it
for each job.
 Don’t repeat your resume, but use the letter to highlight the
best two reasons why you’re perfect for the job.
 Use the letter to bring out points that you may not have been
able to include in the resume due to space.
 Add your career branding statement across the top.
 Add a testimonial.
 Include a call to action at the end.

17. Strategies for Success
In addition to submitting your resume online, try to
find a personal contact to pass on your resume
internally.
If you don’t have a contact, check your connections
on LinkedIn.com to identify possible avenues into
the company.
Use LinkedIn’s job section to find listings that you
may not have heard of.
Consider mailing a hard copy to the HR person if you
know his/her name.

18. Thank You!
To your success!
Ashley Cisneros, M.S.
Ashley Cisneros, Inc.
www.AshleyCisneros.com
AshleyCisneros@gmail.com

19. Questions?