Each letter resume is prepared individually for a specific target. This is a good resume to use in response to an advertisement or to send to someone referred to you by a networking contact. Use the list of achievements you have in your achievements file or notebook to write the resume. You can write it in standard letter paragraph form, or use the structured pattern presented in Chapter 9, "Using Letters Effectively." In the regular letter form, you begin with a statement expressing interest in the job and a reason why you're a good candidate for the position. Continue with the accomplishments, background and experience you have that meets or exceeds the requirements for the position. Figure 8.6 illustrates a letter resume put together this way.
As an alternative, write your letter resume in much the same form as you would a standard resume, but with a letter heading, a subject line indicating the job you're applying for, a summary statement (like a thumbnail) specifically mentioning the background, strengths or experiences asked for in the advertisement, plus other strengths you possess that might be valuable to them. Then, list your accomplishments, work experience and education much as you would in a regular resume. End with a paragraph expressing interest in the position and asking for an interview. Finish with a standard closing ("Yours truly" works just fine), and your signature.
Biography
A biography is not strictly a resume. However, if you are looking for work as a consultant, or have decided to try short-term projects on your own, a biography is an extremely useful leave-behind document.
In a biography, you refer to yourself in the third person. You write the biography as though you had interviewed yourself and wrote it for publication in a newspaper or magazine. The biography begins with your name, in large print and centered, as a title.
Evaluating the Remaining Sections of your Resume. Now look at each section you've included in the resume. With an Achievement Resume, especially one you're trying to get on one page, you may have included only Education and Business Affiliations headings. In a Chronological Resume, you may have included other headings. Consider if the section should even be in this resume. Does it contain enough information to be useful? Does it add to the picture of your competence? Have you listed your business affiliations in reverse order, most recent to most distant? Have you listed too many of these? (Remember, you need only go back 15 to 20 years.) Have you listed your education in reverse order? (Education is something employers will check, so your listings must be correct.) Do you need to include any short courses or seminars to validate some of your claims? (Don't put in too many, as they seem to call attention to shortcomings.) Have you earned any special licenses or registrations?
Do you need all of the information you've put in the Personal section? The catchall term "Will travel/relocate" is often enough. Don't restrict your job opportunities by listing "Houston area only," even if that's true. Don't mention marital status unless you're interested in applying for overseas positions which don't have family housing and are available to singles only. If you have any special abilities or skills which might be of value on the job, include them. Example: Speak Italian, Spanish and French; have traveled extensively in Europe, South America and the Far East. Licensed to fly single-engine aircraft. Omit hobbies and membership in social or community organizations-unless you've done something in a community organization that might strengthen your job bid (Chairperson of the United Way Campaign, President of Rotary, President of the Chamber of Commerce).
Should you have included any other section? Have you received business honors or published articles or books? Do you hold any patents? If so, include the most important in a category you call Honors and Publications, Honors and Awards, Publications, Patents or whatever fits your situation. Don't cover any of these achievements under the heading
Selected Achievements. Do it one place or the other, not both. Don't list all of your publications by name and journal or publisher. Give titles only, on those most relevant to the job you're looking for, and include the others in a catchall statement such as "numerous others in the area of ."
Do you have any professional affiliations (job-related organizations only) which add to your stature? Do you have an office in the organization or have you held one? If you do, consider adding a Professional Affiliations heading.
The Thumbnail Sketch. The thumbnail sketch is the first thing a recruiter or potential employer will read after your name and address. It may be the first thing, since many don't bother with names and addresses unless they're really interested. Check the following:
- Does your job title match the content of the thumbnail sketch? Does it fit the information-the accomplishments and/or achievements-given in the rest of the resume? Is it too broad or too specific?
- Does the content in the sketch give the reader a good summary of your skills and abilities?
- Would it make a good advertisement?
- Does it fit with the rest of the resume? Is each statement substantiated by a related achievement or experience?
- Are the statements in the sketch concrete and descriptive? Or are some of them flowery and abstract? Do they seem like puffery?
- Are the different statements in the sketch written in parallel form? Or have you used verbs to describe your abilities in some statements and nouns in others? (This is a technical point, but can contribute to a lesser impression if you've mixed your nouns and verbs incorrectly. The person who's reading your resume may not know what's wrong, but does know that something about it doesn't sound quite right) If you're not sure, ask someone whose knowledge of grammar you trust to review your resume for just this point
- Is your sketch longer than 40 words? What can you leave out? How can you condense?
- Are related skills and abilities tied together? Does the writing carry you along from one set of skills to the next or does something feel jarring or out of place?
