- neat
- well-organized
- easily and quickly read
- organized so that key information is highly visible
- appropriate in length (not too long or too short)
- includes brief yet complete job descriptions
- depicts key accomplishments
- provides a complete accounting of key areas of interest to a prospective employer
As you develop your resume, you need to concentrate more on highlighting your accomplishments and less on the fact that you are currently out of work. The format of your resume can help you do this. Most experts on resumes agree that the most effective resume format is the chronological format, one in which your education and experience are listed in chronological order, with your most recent position listed first.
As you look at the resume, you'll notice that one drawback of a chronological resume is that it highlights the dates of your employment. In other words, if you have been out of work for some time, it will be immediately obvious. There are several things you can do to downplay the significance of employment dates without drawing attention to them.
First, if you have recently lost your job and are still receiving severance pay, technically, you can say you are still employed by the company. In that case, the first entry on your resume should read "20XX to Present.'' You will need to be careful about this approach if there is any possibility that a prospective employer is aware of your employment situation. For example, if your former employer closed a regional office, leaving you out of a job, it will be common knowledge in the community.
If you have been out of work for a longer period of time (well beyond the end of your severance agreement) or if you don't feel you can honestly state that you are currently employed by your previous employer, you need to modify your resume to reflect that fact without giving it undue attention.
A few simple modifications can draw less attention to the dates on your resume while still showing a reasonable chronological progression in your employment history. The resume format that follows shows one example of how to do this.
As you can see, this second format is still clear and easy to read. However, it does not specifically state that you are no longer with your last employer. This format does a better job of calling attention to your abilities without drawing attention to the fact that you are currently unemployed. By using such phrases as "responsible for" instead of "directed the activities of," you avoid using the past tense and reduce the chance that a prospective employer will question whether you are still employed.
As you complete your resume, remember that you need to be sure that it represents you well, without telling a prospective employer more than he or she needs to know. You have a much better chance of explaining your situation face to face than in a resume or cover letter. Because of this, you need to be sure that your resume doesn't call attention to your current employment status, but it also doesn't appear to be hiding anything.
Once you complete your resume, it's a good idea to have it reviewed by someone who can give you objective criticism you can use to improve your resume. Find someone with a background in human resources (perhaps through your former employer, especially if they offered to help in your search), and have that person objectively review your resume. Someone who screens resumes on a daily basis will be able to spot obvious errors. Make sure your reviewer has experience reading or preparing resumes.
If you can't find an expert who can review your resume, compare it to sample resumes in any one of a number of good books available on the subject of resume writing.
