Chapter 15 of Technical Communication Today discusses how to begin searching for future jobs as well as following up on the potential jobs that you have recently submitted your resumes. I think that it is very interesting and comforting that you should always submit your resume to people that you previously have connections to; but it makes sense because that is how I received my first job as an assistant professional. I also thought that it was important to know more about the ground rules of creating a resume. I found it very helpful that there were suggestions that the chapter made, for example that it should only be one page long, and that it should be unique to you as a potential prospect.
I also thought that it was important and helpful that the chapter made it easy and clear on how to create the resume for the specific job that you are applying for. I found it smart and appealing that you should use the job description as an outline for your resume. For example, you should reword the job description as it was your resume. I have actually used this in my resume that I submitted to Hillcrest Country Club and was amazed on how well that it worked. I recommend using this in any resume that you use because it is appealing to the company that you are applying and it states that you are qualified for the position.
The reason that you write a resume is to be hired, but the only reason that you have a chance to even be considered is to have a resume that stands out and impresses your potential boss. I think that it is important to make your resume “pop” and stand out. The most important thing is to make it unique, the last thing that you want is for your resume to look like everyone else.
Customizing Your Resume
I also paid particular attention to the portion of the reading that discussed making your resume unique, including the part directing attention to the actual job description. When reviewing your resume, this is one of the first things that the reviewer will catch sight of, as it's located at the top of the page. Based on the way it is written, this individual will likely gain strong insights into if the job your applying for truly fits your interests, as well as if you really have any unique desire to work for his or her company. In the past, I have almost always left this job description the same, and relatively broad, but that will certainly no longer be the case.
Rewording the Objective
I would also have to agree with you about rewording the job description in your resume. I believe that making the objective statement fit the job description for each job you apply for is one of the best things you can do to land a job. It lets the person reading your resume think and believe that that type of job is the only kind you are looking for and you are dedicated to getting one like it. If your objective is too broad it might let the reader believe that you are unsure what you want to do with your life or that you really don’t care what you do. Tailoring your objective for the specific job is a very important step in making your resume.
Resume Length
Although I have heard this advice many times, I don't agree that a resume must be one page. One page may work for most people, but for others one page may not be enough space. For example, I have been using a two page resume for the past four years and it has gotten me a lot of interviews and job offers. No employer or recruiter has ever complained about the length of my resume.
On Uniqueness...
I've said it before and I'll say it again, unique resumes are cliche. The internet has a litany of templates that people can use to make their resumes seem unique. But, really, what does it mean to be unique? How many resumes have you seen recently?-I guarantee it is far fewer than the average HR person has seen in the past five minutes. My point is-it is really easy to make resumes have a good appearance. What takes more work is making sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes and, most importantly, the wording of the resume-in terms of using "I" too frequently, ect. Once a resume passes this test-the content really starts to shine.
The number of pages a resume has is irrelevant-my dad's resume is three pages. However, keeping with the 'good appearance' theme, I would want to make sure all of the pages are full-it would look bad if I had one page full and one or two paragraphs on the second page.
Unique Resume vs. Stand-out Effort
I do believe, however, that you have to try to make yourself stand out to potential employers (I don't know if you want to call that being unique but it's along the same lines). I think attempting to let your resume's content shine is not the key to being successful in that respect. Qualifications are important and they tell recruiters a lot, but if you don't engage recruiters and HR people when you apply or deliver your resume, you are most likely not going to get their attention. And as you said, they look at a lot of resumes. That's why TCT included so much other stuff in the chapter about job searching, like research and cover letters. Companies are looking for the total package, which includes initiative and good communication skills, not just a resume full of nice accolades. So I think you need to show them you are the total package and you can't do that with a resume alone.
Also, to expand on what you said about limiting the use of "I," resumes are supposed to be scanable sources of quick information. I would argue that if you have "I" written even once in your entire resume (with the possible exception of an objective statement), your resume is too wordy. Complete sentences waste space on a resume and make it hard to scan, so there is no reason why you should have to write "I."
Response
I also found it smart and appealing to tailor your resume towards your potential job description. I actually have started to do this recently, but in the past I never really thought about it. There is one problem that is troublesome about rewording my resume. It becomes a hassle at times to change my resume to display skills and experiences for each job that I apply for. I know finding a job is a lot of work, but at times when homework and tests are piling up, it becomes a burden to continue to reword my resume for upcoming jobs.
Another statement I agree with you on is that "you write a resume to be hired". As I stated in my reading response, I believe that writing an excellent resume is the most important in the job finding process because without one, you would not stand out and potentially not be interviewed, which is the goal of writing a resume.
Response
I agree with you when you said that you should put the description of the jobs that are on your resume. Adding a brief description of your duties and responsible in a past job can never hurt, especially if you tailor it to the job that you are applying for. Although the chapter does talk about rewording the job itself, it gave an example of switching the job title "cashier" to "Financial transaction accountant" or something. The chapter discussed how this was shallow and not appealing to the employer. So just remember to be honest when you are describing your past job duties.