Get The Job You Want, Even When No One's Hiring: Take Charge of Your Career, Find a Job You Love, and Earn What You Deserve

Chapter 51. An Outstanding Resume Is Not Difficult to Create—If You Know the Code

I have good news: resumes are not that difficult to put together. There are hundreds of resume books out there, with at least 50 different ways to write resumes "the right way." But after 15 years of experience as a senior-level career coach, I can tell you that there is a secret code for resumes — andeither you know it, or you don't.

If you don't know the code, you will:

• Read a lot of resume books and try several different formats for your resume.

• Listen to every person who offers their expert opinion on resumes (and make every editorial change they suggest).

• Make the even more serious mistake of trying to create your own format from scratch.

• Never be sure if your resume was the disqualifying factor when you don't get the offer.

If you do know the code, you will:

• Immediately be recognized as someone who is business-savvy and knows the game of professional career search.

• Present your credentials in the best possible light, with a resume that highlights the real value you offer.

• Make it much easier for the recipient to put you in the yes pile rather than the no pile.

I'm going to suggest a fairly radical approach to helping you create a great resume — no theory, no gimmicks, no heavy lifting. Just look carefully at the examples starting on page 107. The easiest way for you tocreate a top-notch resume is to take exactly what you see in these examples, and do some editing, adapting, and reformatting. Make your ...