Chapter 15 helps in discussing the many aspects that make up the process of writing a resume. They talk about how you should preplan your thoughts, what the proper research about a company you need to think about, all the way through getting your resume out there.
I believe that the most important parts of writing a resume would have to be making it original, and understanding the type of person that a certain company is wanting to hire. I only have limited experience in writing resumes, but one thing that I know for sure is that a resume that you would write up to apply for an office job will look entirely different than on that you would write for flying a jet in the airline. Another concept that also should be considered in writing resumes is the use of strong action verbs. You can vastly improve the appearance and overall appeal of a resume with the use of a wide array of strong action verbs in describing work experiences.
One area that I learned a lot about writing resumes in this section would be the "Producing Your Resume" section. I did not know that there where so many different ways of producing the resume, that should be taken into consideration when it is time to distribute your resume. I would believe that the most effective way of producing your resume would have to be creating a Word File version of your resume and having many copies of it printed off. Having a copy or two of your resume on hand is usually a good idea, you never know who you will run into on the street and have an opportunity to pass on a copy. Another benefit of having a Word File of your resume is having the ability to be able to upload your copy to a companies website.
Lastly, there is a wide array of steps and ideas that should be taken into consideration when it comes the time to begin writing your resume. Having a well crafted resume in the hands of an employer will either make or break your chance to becoming hired so take all the and look at all the literature possible to make that first impression be a good one.
Being Unique
I agree with you Matt on the importance of your resume being unique, and standing out. Before reading this chapter, I was also unaware of all the different categories and types of resumes, and the various formats in which I might choose to sort my accomplishments. On top of this, I didn't understand or even acknowledge the importants of using strong action verbs, or omitting words such as "I" from my resume. This week's reading has definitely convinced me to take another glance back at my resume, which I rarely review, and maybe make a few adjustments for the better.
Resume Copies
I completely agree with you about always carrying around a couple copies of your resume, just in case. I also agree with keeping a current Word File resume, although for other reasons. I think the book it trying to drill into our heads that each document needs to be tailored to its specific audience. If you keep your resume up-to-date in a Word File, no matter how generic it is, it is very easy to go back in and personalize it for each individual employer. It will take time, but all the information you need is right there when you need it. It mostly just needs to be reworded and reorganized for different jobs, rather than completely re-writing your resume for every one.
Additional Things to Consider
What you covered clearly represents the important topics of the chapter. In particular, I too feel that it is very important to make your resume stand out. This will help initially grab the recruiters’ attention and it will also help make your resume more memorable. If you make a truly unique resume, be sure to create an additional generic resume, if you believe it might be scanned. I also believe that it is important to have a copy of your resume saved as a Microsoft Word file but when submitting them online many companies prefer them to be sent as an Adobe Acrobat file. This can easily be done by submitting your Microsoft Word file to certain websites like http://www.doc2pdf.net/.
Re:
Telling someone that their resume should be unique is almost, by now, cliche. It's good to understand the importance of writing quality as a primary concern with respect to resumes. I'm under the impression that resumes are first filtered by grammar, spelling, and wording (as was pointed out-the limiting of the use of 'I') Once these resumes that fail that test are eliminated, the remaining resumes will probably be somewhat equal in 'uniqueness' but (I'd like to think anyway...) that the content of the resume will be the shinning star from this point on.
Reply Reading Response 2
After reading your response on Chapter 15, I think you made some very valid points on making your resume original. In writing a resume it’s a frustrating process in making sure your do all the right things to make yourself marketable. In the “Producing Your Resume” section, I also didn’t fully realize the different style and method in tailoring your resume. The amount of methods and information the textbook gives you in producing your resume is sound advice. Making your resume original from everyone else can really make or break you in getting an interview. First impressions are everything and when a company reviews thousands of resumes, you need to produce a unique resume.
Response
I recently wrote up a resume for a class I have here at Purdue and I was a little disappointed when I read that bit about action verbs, like you mention in paragraph two. You make many valid points when in your reading response. I personally like the idea of having a couple of resumes on hand, you never know who you might run into. Having them on a word file would really help as well. You also have an underlying message of tailoring your resume for the job you applying for, "A resume that you would write up to apply for an office job will look entirely different than on that you would write for flying a jet in the airline."Nice.
Evan
Resumes
I completely agree that different types of jobs should require different types of resumes. I personally have around 6 different resumes that I distribute to prospective employers. I keep a resume suited for an engineering position, a sales position, and a project management position, among some others. Having multiple resumes allows you to highlight the most relevant skills/experiences as they are suited for a specific position. I also agree with you the importance of strong action words in a resume. There are lists of such words on the internet (http://www.how-to-write-a-resume.org/action_verbs.htm). I think the most important things to convey on a resume are leadership and responsibility experiences, and these action verbs are great ways to do that.
Response
I couldn’t agree more with your last line, to convey leadership, responsibility, and experience. These are differently the qualities companies look for in new employees. I also liked that you had a variety of different resumes, something I have considered doing for a while now but have changed them to suit each company on the fly before going to a job fair. And as much as I dislike going to job fairs, I think bringing yourself along with your resume is the best thing you can do. I would choose talking to a person face to face over sending my resume with a cover letter to some career building website. They may end up liking you more than your resume.